


Wherever This Journey Takes Us: A Haikyuu Pokemon AU

by Pokemort



Category: Haikyuu!!, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Fluff, Gen, M/M, No Smut, Pining, Pokemon Battles, Pokemon Training, Rare Pairings, Strangers to Lovers, kanto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25247143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokemort/pseuds/Pokemort
Summary: Disclaimer: You don't need any in-depth Pokemon knowledge to read this fic. It's just mostly general things; region, Pokemon names, and types!Suga lives a comfortable life as an artist in his cabin located in a secluded route of the Kanto region. That is, until he meets up and coming (as well as broke) Pokemon researcher Tendou Satori. Suga takes a decision soon enough that will change his life drastically.(this summary sounds like a cheap book blurb I'm sorry)
Relationships: Sugawara Koushi/Tendou Satori
Comments: 46
Kudos: 15





	1. A Short Walk

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This chapter is an experimental one; if I feel it's good enough to continue I'll try to post more. If you have any suggestions too for Pokemon that fit certain Haikyuu characters PLEASE TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS I"D LOVE TO KNOW!!
> 
> Anw stay safe, hope you enjoy this short start! ^^

He had owned this creature ever since he was a kid. Emolga perched on Suga’s shoulder as he took a brush and squinted at the paper on the table before him. On his small home on the route above Cerulean City, Suga worked as an illustrator of Pokemon Trainer cards. He designed, drew, and sold cards for the most popular Pokemon trainers. Sometimes they requested them, sometimes companies did, and sometimes he had an idea and he wanted to draw.  
This afternoon he was working on the card of a promising fire type Pokemon trainer: Kageyama Tobio. The young trainer was still unaffiliated with any gym, but he had beaten the elite four and finished in the top 8 in the Pokemon League last year.   
Suga decided to give the usually sullen young man a small smile, with a Growlithe walking next to him. The number 9 was beautifully written in white at the bottom right corner of the card. Suga was making this card for two reasons: he was a fan of his friend, and he knew he’d need it soon.   
After an hour of work, Suga stretched and got up from his desk. The illustration was far from finished, but he stowed it carefully away and decided to go for a walk. Emolga flew behind him, and he picked up a couple Pokeballs on his way out, as well as a backpack and water bottle.   
Route 24 was a straightforward one, with trees sparsely located and small spaces made for trainers to battle. Pokemon filled the grass patches, and on the far right there was a picnic area overlooking the waters. It was a popular date spot, and Suga usually avoided it on his walks; he had no business going there.  
He hadn’t gone too far when he heard a voice call out to him.   
“Hey! You want a Pokemon battle?” a schoolkid jumped into his path, pokeball in hand.  
Suga grinned. “Sure thing!” he said. He wasn’t a professional trainer, but he enjoyed the occasional battle. He also didn’t hold back on the kid, as he sent out his Spinarak and Suga countered the bug type with his Torracat. The fire type’s moves quickly took care of Spinarak, much to the kid’s dismay.  
“Okay! How about this: Go Horsea!” The kid threw his second and last pokeball. Suga smiled confidently.   
“Nice! Akira, return. Emma, it’s your turn now.” Suga turned to his Emolga, which flew from behind his back and into the battle. It overwhelmed Horsea with its speed, and easily defeated the water type. It flew back to Suga’s shoulder, crying out in joy as it did.  
The kid was crestfallen. He sighed morosely and stared at his pokeballs.   
“Hey,” Suga gently said as he bent down to talk to him. “You have a good start for a team.” The kid looked up, sniffling.   
“Here, have this.” From his backpack, Suga pulled out a card for the bug type gym leader, Atsumu Miya and handed it to the kid.   
The kid gasped. “Is this real? Can I really have it?!”   
Suga nodded. “Set your targets higher than this, because you can make it there.” He ruffled the kid’s hair and walked on.  
As he passed by the kid, he heard someone say out loud: “You shouldn’t give him too much hope, you know.”   
Suga recognized the voice of Tsukishima Kei and turned around to greet his friend. “It’s good to give the younger ones some motivation.” He said.  
“Oh that’s motivation? What happens when his dreams come crashing down?”   
“You’re always a ray of sunshine, aren’t you, Tsukishima?” He punched his shoulder playfully. “As long as he doesn’t challenge him right away he’ll be fine.” Suga laughed, while Tsukishima looked at him impassively.  
“How’s training?” Suga asked.  
Tsukishima shrugged. “It’s going fine. I’m trying to cover all my weaknesses before challenging the Elite Four.”   
Just then, his Nosepass shuffled from behind his legs. It looked shyly up at Suga.  
“Still hasn’t evolved this one?”  
Tsukishima sighed. “It doesn’t want to evolve. Every time we go near the power plant it throws a tantrum, scattering rocks around and making a scene. I don’t know what its problem.”  
Suga looked at it and bent down, making it scoot back behind its trainer’s legs. “Maybe it lacks confidence.” He offered.  
“I don’t know how to build that.” Tsukishima replied. “Maybe I should replace it.” He wondered aloud.  
“Well, that’s not gonna help its confidence.” Suga said as Nosepass looked down ashamedly.  
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” Tsukishima said.   
Suga knew that his friend would never remove Nosepass from his team. Not only because he was a stubborn trainer, but also because he’d had it for a long time now and was attached to it.   
“I’ll see what Yamaguchi has to help with that. Catch you later, Suga.”   
“See you!”   
The two went their own way. The weather was mild and nice, and Suga decided to bring out his two other Pokemon to walk with him. Torracat and Espeon followed Suga on the route, chasing small wild Pokemon and playing together in the grass. Suga sat below a tree and watched the trainers fight and the wild Pokemon go about their business. He enjoyed these works as a break and exercise, and sometimes he found it helpful to sketch some quick ideas inspired by his surroundings. He took out his sketchbook and with Espeon dosing in his lap, he sketched until the sun was down.


	2. Tendou, (Broke) Pokemon Researcher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We follow Tendou, broke Pokemon Researcher and freelance photographer as he finishes a project, realizes he has no money, and set off on his next project

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so short and slow start, I know. But I try to set up the story as much as possible before getting into the thick of it.
> 
> Anyways, I will be probably alternating between Suga and Tendou POVs, as I have a clearer idea on how this is shaping up!
> 
> (if u have any suggestions for trainer/pokemon combinations let me know! here or on twitter @mortdork)
> 
> Take care! <3

That same night, not far away from Cerulean City, Pokemon Researcher Tendou Satori was holed up in Mount Moon. He hid behind a large rock in one of the caves deep inside the mountain, his Gengar crouching beside him while he went through a list written in his notebook.

“Okay what we’ve got so far: green clefairy, flying clefairy, large moonstone, dancing clefairy, and that kid outside that said he saw a new pink Pokemon inside but I don’t think that’s true.” 

Gengar cried out in confirmation. 

“Yes, you’re right; we already know that they dance but I’d like to photograph that.” Tendou replied.

He lurked behind that rock, waiting for the fairy type Pokemon to come out. It was a long time before any showed up, and Gengar was snoozing when Tendou excitedly nudged him awake. The Pokemon vanished then appeared quickly, startled by his trainer’s actions.

“Look!” Tendou pointed ahead. “That’s a Cleffa walking alongside a Clefairy. I didn’t think I’d find one in the wild!”   
He held up his camera and zoomed in as close as he could. There wasn’t much light in the cave, and Tendou didn’t want to startle the Pokemon with his flash. Hence, the photo that came out was blurry. 

Tendou looked at it ruefully. “Ugh. It’s fine, let’s try another.”

He took half a dozen other pics, not bothering to check them out this time. 

“One of these gotta work.” 

Gengar nodded. 

Soon, more Clefairy came in from a deeper level of the mountain. They gathered together, and seemed to be chatting and mingling.   
Tendou took several more photos and made some more notes in his notebook, but the Clefairy didn’t do anything remarkable throughout the night. He stayed watching them until it was dawn, and he tucked his sleeping Pokemon safely back in its pokeball. When the sun rose up, the Clefairy slowly dispersed, each going a separate way.  
Tendou yawned and stretched his arms. 

“Well, that confirms nothing.” He said glumly. “And I can’t afford camping here another night, I’m going to have to come back later.”

He packed up his things in a heavy rucksack and trudged sleepily outside the cave. The sun was blinding as he stepped out of Mount Moon and into the route leading to Cerulean City. He walked along the short route, shading his eyes from the sun until he got to the Pokemon Center. Some trainers were already having breakfast in the front room of the center, talking between each other about their goals and adventures. 

Tendou walked past them slowly, and some seemed to stare at him as he walked by. He smiled at them, which often didn’t help things. He set his things at a table as far from the chattering trainers as possible and ordered a stack of pancakes. 

Waiting for the food to arrive, he stared up at the ceiling of the center. He could still faintly hear some trainers gossip about him close by. “look at his clothes” “did he crawl out of a ditch?” “His vibes, I don’t know. Just creep me out, man.” 

Tendou straightened up and pulled out his camera. The photos he had taken last night weren’t that good. They were dark and blurry, and only an expert eye would discern the Cleffa in them. He sighed and place the camera on the table next to him just as his order arrived. He thanked the Mr.Mime that brought it over and started eating his pancakes hungrily. 

Once he was done, he realized that he was tired and all he wanted was a shower and a soft bed to sleep on. But could he afford any? He took out his wallet and counted his money. The Pokemon Center offered free healing for any Pokemon, but food and lodging were priced accordingly. If he were to pay for those, he wouldn’t be able to afford any supplies for his next project, and thus he’d have to postpone the whole thing.

Yet, he was really tired and didn’t know anyone nearby. Ushijima was far away in the Indigo Plateau, awaiting challengers. Everyone else he knew was busy with something, and he didn’t like to intrude anyways. Maybe if Goshiki lived nearby he could drop by for a bit, tease his junior and annoy him then leave when done.   
He got up from the table and headed over to the desk. After paying for his meal, he asked for a room and was given the key to it. The room was on the second floor and Tendou dropped immediately asleep on the bed when he entered. He woke up a few hours later, forgetting where he was. He fished out a change of clothes from his rucksack and headed to the shower.

A hot shower and some black coffee later, Tendou was sitting on his bed, writing letters and setting up his next project. He decided to hold off the Clefairy expedition for now, and head to Lavender Town to investigate the tower there. He was aware that there has been a considerable research into the place, but it was still not sufficient. He was, first and foremost, a ghost type Pokemon trainer, and it was his mission to know more about those Pokemon.

But first, he thought, I have to make some quick money. Route 24 was nearby, and trainers as well as couples gathered there. 

“I’ll do some photo commissions there. Just cheap quick shots for any interested, that should be enough for some supplies.” He looked at Gengar’s pokeball for affirmation, but it just shook slightly. The lazy Pokemon rarely came out during the day. Tendou smiled; the shake was enough for him.

He continued his letters to Ushijima and his other friends around Kanto, and called out Honchkrow from its pokeball.

“You know where each of these go, right?” he smiled and petted the dark bird. It cried in reply. 

“Good girl!” he exclaimed. “Here’s some treats for the road. You know where to find me, okay? And if you can’t just drop at the center, they’ll take care of you. Or at Goshiki’s place if it’s nearer.” He grinned mischievously as the Pokemon nodded, spread its wings, and flew out of the window. 

Tendou packed up his camera and a few film rolls. He attached some pokeballs to his belt, and leaving his rucksack behind, he took with him a water bottle and walked up the bridge leading to Route 24. He knew he had to stay a couple of days to make enough money for his next project, so he was going back to the Pokemon Center later today. He hummed joyfully as he walked around, camera in hand and a sign hanging off his camera bag that said “Trainer and Couple Photography! Only 50 Pokecoins each!”. Luckily, the area was full of people and their Pokemon, and Tendou felt a weird rush of excitement as he stepped onto the route, watching them go about their business, waiting to get noticed.


	3. Encounter!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga meets Tendou. Tendou meets Suga. It's a nice day out for blossoming friendships (and new Pokemon)

Suga’s Espeon was restless. It was levitating things off the shelves and dropping them on the ground. Suga kept an eye on his Pokemon, who didn’t seem to be ashamed of his mischief. After a mighty crash of books, Suga dropped his pencil and got up.

“What’s wrong, Zen?” he stared at his Pokemon, trying to look as stern as possible. Espeon simply called out coolly in reply. 

Suga rubbed his eyes. He had a commission to finish by tomorrow, but he couldn’t possibly work with his Pokemon causing this much trouble.

“Okay. Let’s go for a quick stroll, but I have to get back home soon okay? I have important work to do!” Suga instructed Zen, who turned around and ran joyfully towards the door.

Suga picked up a small backpack with treats, water, and potions and followed his Pokemon outside. Espeon was running around in the front yard of the house, chasing Combee. The bug types floated lazily in the air, flying out of Espeon’s range and seeking out flowers for nectar. 

The sun was strong, but a cool breeze wafted by occasionally. Suga stood in front of his house, letting Espeon take the lead. The latter soon left the unkempt front yard and walked briskly along the route. Suga followed him closely, worried the psychic type would get in trouble if he didn’t keep an eye on him.

A short distance’s walk, Suga found that Espeon had settled into a patch of grass, chasing wild Pokemon playfully and rolling in the field. He sat down under a nearby tree and took a sip of water. As he raised his head to drink, he felt something rub by his leg and a tiny pitiful cry come from there. 

Suga glanced down to see a small Oddish jump helplessly up and down, crying in request. He removed his water bottle from his mouth and brought it close to the Pokemon’s mouth, which struggled to drink from it. Suga tipped it forward, and Oddish gratefully lapped up the water at the mouth of the bottle. 

After getting its fill, the Oddish trudged forward and sat down by Suga’s leg, resting is back on his left leg and yawning lazily. Suga tentatively petted the three leaves jutting out of its head, and the Pokemon soon dozed off. He watched it nap with a relaxed smile on his face. Just then, Suga heard the snap of a camera shutter and looked up. A short distance from him crouched a red haired guy holding a camera by his chest. His face had a strange smile, and his eyes gave the impression that he was caught in some embarrassing act.

Suga was still studying him when he opened his mouth and spoke: “Ahhh! I didn’t mean to intrude, you two just looked cute together.”  
He rubbed the back of his spiky hair and stood up. Suga could see a sign hanging off his camera bag that said: “Trainer and Couple Photography! Only 50 Pokecoins each!” Tendou followed Suga’s line of sight and looked at the sign.

“Oh don’t worry you don’t have to pay me. Photography is not really my job, just something I picked up.” He explained.

Suga realized he was being unusually quiet. He found himself disarmed by this man’s presence and look; he looked strange, like he didn’t fit in easily in the world. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a weird understanding between them. There was kindness in this guy’s heart, Suga thought, but it was hard to bring out to the open. He supposed he really didn’t mean any harm, too. It was endearing, that someone thought he was cute enough to warrant a photograph.

“Can I see the photo?” Suga asked, smiling gently.

“Sure!” Tendou handed him the camera. 

“How do I- “ 

“Oh, right.” Tendou crouched down next to him and clicked a button on the bottom right. “There are two other ones, but this is my favorite.”

Suga smiled. The photo was good and he wanted it.

“Can I have it? I’ll pay you!” Suga offered, but Tendou shook him off. 

“No, no need.” He said. “I can give it to you tomorrow, if you can come over to the Pokemon Center in Cerulean City. Ask for Tendou Satori, I have a room there.”

Suga nodded. “At least let me offer you something to eat or drink?” 

Tendou looked surprised. He didn’t receive such kind offers frequently, and he was tempted to accept. He shook his head instead.

“It’s okay, really. I have to keep working now.”

“Come on.” Suga insisted. “My house is just at the end of the route, and my Espeon seemed to have tired himself out already.”

He picked up the Oddish and called out for Zen, who walked slowly forward. Suga fished for a pokeball from his backpack, but he had forgotten to pack one. 

“Sorry, bud. Seems you’re gonna have to walk the way back.”

Espeon protested meekly, but walked closely behind Suga, who carried the dozing Oddish in his arms.  
Tendou was not sure if he should follow, but Suga turned to him and grinned. 

“Come on, it’s just a short walk.” He said.

Tendou nodded and caught up with him. 

“I didn’t introduce myself, did I! My name’s Sugawara Koushi, I illustrate and design cards for Pokemon Trainers. So if you know anyone, tell them about me!” he laughed wholeheartedly.

Tendou’s thoughts immediately were of his friend, Wakatoshi. “I actually do.” He said. “Do you know Ushijima of the Elite Four?”

Suga’s face turned into shock. “Do I? Who doesn’t!” 

“We’re close friends!” Tendou bragged. “I’ll let him know about your work, even though he isn’t the kind to understand it.”

“Oh?” Suga was curious about the famously strong trainer. 

“Yes, he’s a bit… stoic? Serious? People find him intimidating, but he’s just practical.” 

“Really? I always felt he was a little scary…”

Tendou laughed. “Not once you get to know him.” He replied. “Anyway, I’m Tendou Satori, I work as a Pokemon researcher.”

Suga arched an eyebrow. “What’s with the sign then?” he asked.

“Oh that’s just some side work. Pokemon research doesn’t pay a lot, especially if you’re just starting out.” He smiled. 

“You must love it a lot to continue to do it like this.” Suga observed. 

They were now at the door of Suga’s small cabin. The inside was messy and dusty, with his Torracat snoring loudly. Espeon trudged inside tiredly and plopped down asleep on its bed. Suga carefully placed Oddish on an old pet bed by his desk and dropped his backpack next to it. 

“Have a seat, I’ll make us something to drink. What would you like to have?” 

Tendou sat down carefully, but he couldn’t come up with an answer immediately. “What do you have?” sounded rude, and after a moment he simply said: “Anything cold really!”

Suga nodded, leaving Tendou to survey the interior of the cabin. There was the work desk, pushed to the wall and cluttered. Three Pokemon dozed off in three separate corners of the main room. The table he was sitting at had a plaid tablecloth and a jug of water in the middle of it. On the walls, there were posters of trainers and paintings of Pokemon. At the end of the hallway leading from the room, the bedroom door was slightly open, the sky blue covers disheveled. Tendou felt he was intruding on something very private and turned his attention back to the walls. Some drawings were framed, others were signed, all had different styles. He wondered where Suga had managed to get all of these and what they meant to him.

Soon, Suga came in from the small kitchen to the left, carrying a tray with a jug and two glass cups on it. 

“Pecha ice tea!” he announced. “I grow the berries myself!” 

Tendou was impressed. Suga poured him a cup and the aromatic smell of the drink immediately hit him. The sweetness of the pecha berry had a different taste to it, and after a moment Tendou managed to place it.

“Is this…green tea?”

“Yes!” Suga replied. “I also grow some of them. Do you like it?”

Tendou nodded. It was superb. “It’s great! You should start a company.”

Suga laughed. “I don’t have the patience for it.” He said.

“Oh but you have the patience to make detailed illustrations?” Tendou teased back.

Suga laughed again. “You have a point there.” But he didn’t elaborate. Tendou wanted to ask him about the drawings and posters, but felt it would be too personal. He continued to sip his drink, and the two chatted about their work and hobbies. As the sun was setting, Tendou excused himself. 

“I have to go now.” He explained. “I got a decent amount of commissions today, so I better start working on them.”

Suga nodded. “I’ll pass by the center tomorrow to pick up mine.”

“Ahh yes! If I am around here again, I’ll pass by and give it to you myself.” He said. “And maybe have some more ice tea.” He smirked as he added.   
Suga grinned. “You’re more than welcome!” 

Tendou headed out, his lanky arms swinging by his side as he hummed a short tune. It was nice to meet someone friendly, he thought. He hadn’t met someone like that in quite a while; he wasn’t the most social and many people avoided him while he camped out in the region. He knew that once he got to his room, however, that tiredness would set in and he braced himself for a nap and a long night’s work.

Suga went back to his work. He put some music on his stereo and opened the windows as he bent down to continue his illustration. For some reason, he felt invigorated. Living on Route 24 he regularly met strangers on his walks, but he felt as if Tendou was no mere stranger. He admired his honesty and strangeness, as well as his passion for his work. He hummed as he worked, the cool breeze shaking the window curtains and the noises of the Route faintly filtering in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I've taken some liberty with the Pokemon distribution as you may have noticed. Yes this is Kanto, but I'm not restricting myself to Kanto Pokemon only, it's more fun that way.
> 
> I don't have anything else to say, except I hope you enjoy this slow starting fic. I'm not sure how long it'll be, but we're just starting!
> 
> Have a nice day !!


	4. This Feels Strange, Who are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga comes over to pick up the photograph. Tendou, well, is struggling with unfamiliar feelings. It's all mushy and pining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this would be shorter than it turned out, but eh I got going. Late update because it's the end of the work day and I'm Tired
> 
> Anyway, did you know youtube has some nice japanese music compilations? I wrote this listening to:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doa-QlSAvLg
> 
> and
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_hndGVt83Y 
> 
> is this allowed? posting youtube links? idk. HAVE A GOOD DAY!

Tendou woke up in his room at the Pokemon Center. He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, but checking the clock on the wall he was relieved to find out he hadn’t overslept. He gathered his things and headed to the lobby, where he ordered some breakfast. His Polteageist was inspecting his coffee curiously, but as it got closer it went inside its pot in repulsion.

His clients from yesterday passed by one after another, and it was mid-noon by the time the last one came by. Well, discounting Suga, he thought. But he was not his client, Tendou guessed, and had no obligation to pass by. 

He had no desire in going out right now, with the sun strong and hot. Instead, he went back to his room and started planning for his next project. He still needed more money, and with work seeming to be going well, Tendou thought he might as well do it for a bit longer. Aside from Route 24, Cerulean City was surrounded by Mount Moon, Cerulean Cave, and a couple scenic spots. The city itself was rather popular, so Tendou could keep doing commissions for a week or so and raise as much money as he could. He was itching for the chance to set off on another mission, but he tried to keep himself in check; if he worked hard now, he wouldn’t need to scrounge for supplies later on.

As he was drawing up plans for his next trip, he heard a knock on his room door. Tendou looked up from the bed, and noticing that the door was still closed called out: “come in!”  
The door opened slightly and Suga’s head popped up from behind it. He was smiling, his face a bit sweaty and his hair the same pretty mess as it was yesterday. 

“Hello!” he waved in greeting.  
Suga was wearing a pale green t-shirt, with a small Budew printed in the middle of it. He matched that with some comfy looking white shorts and dirty sneakers. Tendou looked at his own shirt that he had been wearing since yesterday morning and felt a flush of embarrassment. His navy star patterned shirt and pajama pants felt suddenly uncomfortable. 

“Sorry I’m late.” Suga said. He looked at everything strewn around on the bed and added. “Am I interrupting something?”

Tendou shook his head. “No, no. Just some planning for my next project.” He replied as he moved them into a pile to the side of the bed.

“Oh? What is it about?” Suga asked interestedly, as he dragged a chair from near the window and sat backwards on it. 

Tendou was usually hesitant to discuss his projects with others. He often followed his intuition in selecting these projects, and he collected all sort of information when tackling one. So a lot of times his explanations didn’t sound scientific or convincing, but they often did end up more or less successful. Tendou gained a lot of experience from his projects, and he saw some pretty wonderful scenes, but he still hasn’t managed to get a breakthrough; something new and unheard of before. Was Lavender Tower the one? He didn’t know, but he was drawn to the place, so it was worth a try.

“I’m heading to Lavender Tower.” He said. “There’s… um... something I want to explore there.”

Suga studied him for what seemed like a long time. “That sounds exciting.” He finally said. “What kind of thing are you looking for?”

Tendou looked up at the ceiling, unsure of what to say. “You know, anything supernatural or curious. I’ll collect info and leads and chase them out.” He half-explained.  
Suga cocked his head. Tendou felt that his new acquaintance was persistent in his questioning, and sure enough he went on: “So you just camp there? Or stay at the Pokemon Center?”

Tendou was slightly offended. “Of course not!” he exclaimed. “I stay inside the tower or whichever place I am at. I could miss something if I am not always at the site.” He said. “Besides, field work isn’t field work if you’re not in the field.” He added.

Suga laughed shortly at that. “That does sound about right.” He said. “Well, good luck! Tell me if I can help with anything!”

Tendou wondered about his genuine enthusiasm and whether there was something behind it. He smiled, and his mind briefly strayed to camping with Suga inside the tower. He had a feeling it’d be fun, but also that he’d be able to do any work.

“Thank you.” He smiled. “It won’t be for a week or so, though. I’ll probably be staying here for the time being.”

Suga smiled back. “In that case you’re welcome to drop by anytime.” 

Tendou managed a smile at that offer. He still wasn’t used to this sort of open hospitality. He quickly snapped out of his surprise and started: “Oh, right! Your photo!”  
Suga nodded. “That’s definitely the only reason I came here.” He said.

Tendou laughed. “It’s nice to have company, if I am being honest. It gets a bit lonely on the road.” He replied, almost immediately regretting saying that. But it was true, and he felt Suga was being honest and open with him, so his heart opened up a bit about the truth.

Suga’s voice turned a bit serious as he asked: “Do you not have a place to return to?”

Tendou shook his head. “I moved to Kanto from Hoenn, alongside Wakatoshi. We used to share a place but well, with work we had to leave.” He explained. “My family is back there, but I like it more here! I have a good feeling about Kanto!”

Suga smiled. “That’s nice.” He said. “Kanto is full of things to experience, and if you ever need a place to stay, again, you can come over. I have a lot of trainer friends who use my cabin as a stop on their journeys.” Suga said proudly. 

“That’s very kind of you.” Tendou replied. “As long as you have ice tea, I’ll be around.” he joked.

Suga laughed and nodded. “Don’t worry, I make too much for one person.”

Tendou was looking through his bag for the photo as the two were conversing. He had finally found it, packed neatly inside a small transparent bag. Oddish was sleeping on Suga’s leg as the sunlight filtered from above, dotting his face and throwing some of his body in the shade. Yet, you could make out his smile and the tiny mole below his left eye. Tendou realized he was staring at the photo for too long and hastily got up.

“Here it is!” he held it out to Suga. “It looks even better than I thought.” 

Suga took it from him and studied it. Tendou couldn’t make out the look on his face, and worried for a second that Suga didn’t like the photo. But then the latter smiled brightly and looked up. 

“It’s beautiful.” He said. “I’m glad you managed to capture this moment, please continue to do so.” 

Tendou was a bit lost for words, and Suga then continued: “Maybe I’ll hire you someday!” 

The two laughed, and Tendou could feel Suga’s laugh fade into a smile, and his eyes watch him. He didn’t have a good experience with others watching him; it was always in bad faith, but his guts told him that this time it was different, that Suga wasn’t watching his face, but what lay behind it. His heart seemed to be beating faster, and he couldn’t tell why; shouldn’t it calm down since this isn’t a threatening look? Sometimes, it was hard to figure out his feelings. Especially with being on his own so often, he felt he was digging out something ancient and unused when it came to having such moments. 

Time seemed to pause as he and Suga exchanged smiling stares. He wasn’t one to blush, and he doubted Suga was capable of blushing. The silver haired man suddenly looked alarmed and jumped up from his seat. 

“My illustration!” he cried out. 

Tendou was taken aback. 

“I have to go, I’m sorry. The work I was finishing yesterday, I have to submit it to the client and it’s about time we met up.” He said, carefully stowing the photograph inside his backpack.

“I’ll see you soon, Tendou! Take care!” the last two words were yelled as he rushed out of the door.

Tendou watched him run through the lobby and out of the door, turning briefly around and waving his arms goodbye. Tendou waved slowly back. Once Suga disappeared through the door, he closed the room’s door and dropped backwards onto the bed. He reached absentmindedly into his bag and took out another copy of Suga’s photograph. He held in his hands, studying every single detail of it until he felt too much, and his feelings coalesced into something unfamiliar and strange. He sighed and put it back, and got ready to go do some work, hopefully getting his mind distracted in the process.


	5. Pleasant Past, Future Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga meets an old friend, and he's pushed to think about his life and what it holds for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really not sure how to write the plural of form of each Pokemon. If it comes out a bit awkward, I'm sorry lmao.

Suga hadn’t seen Tendou for a few days now. He didn’t think it unusual, since the latter was always on the move. He had hoped he’d drop by for some chat and tea, but so far it’s been lonely. He hasn’t been able to go out himself; he was swarmed with work. His last commission didn’t go great: the client argued and demanded changes that were impossible to implement, so Suga agreed to redo the whole thing if he’s paid some compensation. The client surprisingly agreed, and Suga has been working hard on it so he can submit it finally and be done with him.

It was just after lunchtime now, and Suga’s body was getting stiff. He decided to take a break and go for a stroll into Cerulean City. He gathered some things in his backpack and locked the door behind him. He had hastily put on some casual navy pants to go along with his white Eevee patterned shirt, and Espeon walked beside him.

Route 24 was as busy as always, and the light reflected on the water near the bridge leading down to the city as Magikarp jumped out of the water and Poliwag floated in the shallow ends. It was a lazy sort of day, and Suga’s will to work was slowly being drained out of him. Cerulean City was a popular destination, and today it seemed more popular than ever. People were out shopping, trainers waiting outside the gym, the cafes were buzzing with chatter. 

Suga decided to head to one of the cafes and found a seat outside. The waitress took his order and he sat there waiting for it, watching the world around him. Lost in thought he heard someone call out his name. Suga quickly looked up to find his old friend, Sawamura take the seat across him.

“Daichi! Long time no see!” he started.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it? How have you been?”

Daichi looked relaxed. Suga had missed his confident friend, and the air of responsibility and calm he carried with him. Even though they didn’t meet as often nowadays, it always felt they could pick up from where they left off. Sure, they had exchanged letters every now and then, but you could only say much in writing.

“Things have been as usual. Somehow slow and hectic at the same time.” Suga said.

Daichi nodded. “You just live far from everything, Suga. Things aren’t as slow everywhere else.”

Suga grinned. “You think? What’s up with you, then?” 

Daichi sighed. “Oh I don’t know. Things have been a bit stale for me lately, you know?” Daichi said. He looked a bit bothered, like someone struggling for air.

“What do you mean? Your security guard job?” 

Daichi nodded. “It’s just…all the same.” He answered. “Put on the uniform, watch out for thieves, make sure passage to the next town is safe etc. But nothing much happens, you know? It’s a lazy job.” 

Suga studied him. Daichi was more excited about being a guard when he first started work a couple years ago, but he had never believed him to stay there for long. He wasn’t the kind to seek thrills, maybe, but Daichi liked physical activity; he liked to be active.

“What are you thinking, then?” Suga knew the answer before Daichi replied with “Try to be a trainer.”

He grinned. “Took you long enough.” He teased.

Daichi laughed. “So you don’t think it’s a bad idea?” 

“Do you?” Suga asked back. “No, I don’t. You could do worse than try your hand at this, Sawamura. You’re talented and determined.” He added. 

Daichi looked a bit embarrassed, before Suga continued: “I never thought you’d last long as a security guard, anyway.”

Daichi snapped: “What is that supposed to mean?”

Suga laughed. “It’s too stable a job for you, Sawamura. It has no end goal.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk.” Daichi replied. “Illustrator at a secluded route? You’re more chaotic than that.”

Suga leaned forward, resting his head in his arms. “True. But I still go for the occasional battle, and my house is filled with half-tamed Pokemon. I got the chaos in my free time.”  
Daichi laughed, conceding defeat. “You’re right. It’s been a while since I’ve visited, is it still dusty and unkempt?”

Suga shrugged, but he took the jab. “You can’t ever get the cabin clean, trust me.”

The waitress came by with Suga’s order, and Daichi ordered a coffee. Suga gave him a look, as if to say: “in this heat? Really?” but Daichi ignored him pointedly.

As he turned around to speak, Suga said: “You should visit more often, you know.”

Daichi was taken aback a bit at Suga’s serious tone. 

“It’s been a long time since we all hung out.” He stared at his sandwich as he cut it diagonally in half, but continued: “I miss those days, Sawamura.”

Daichi gave a sigh. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” He wasn’t looking at Suga, but instead he looked in the distance, staring at the route going south from Cerulean City. 

“Remember Asahi trying to catch that Cubone? He was so terrified!” Suga said.

Daichi laughed at the memory. “It was more scared of him than he was of it! Well, actually I’m not sure that’s true…”

“And Tanaka challenging every trainer to a battle, boasting about his fighting types when all he had was a Tyrogue.”

“He lost so many times! I think Tyrogue evolved out of spite!”

“Yeah, but look at him now; he’s second in command of Pewter City Gym!” 

“I guess he did train hard, in a way.”

The two laughed until their laughs faded into smiles, and their smiles fixed on their faces, a bittersweet feeling spreading through their body.

“It’s been so long, Suga.”

Suga took a bite and swallowed. “Yeah. We should do a reunion”

Daichi looked at him. “Is that even possible? We can’t just leave our work and meet up.”

Suga nodded. “I know. But I have my place ready, and I can send letters all over. Even if it took a month or more, I want to meet everyone again.”

Daichi looked at him. He grinned. “Okay. I’ll help too.” He said. “I’ll seek whoever I can out, it’s time to bring everyone together.”

“Deal!” Suga extended his fist to Daichi who bumped it with his. 

“You know,” the former started. “I met someone who practically lives on the road. And it had me thinking, talking to him, that it could get lonely on your own.”

“What do you mean lives on the road?” Daichi asked.

Suga shook his head. “It’s just part of their job.” 

“Well, we’ll try to make this work. No matter how long it takes.” Daichi said with a determined smile on his face. 

“I have to prepare too, to return to being a trainer.” 

“That’s the spirit.” Suga gave him a thumbs up.

“Maybe you should consider it, as well.” Daichi suggested, but Suga shook his head. 

“I was never that good. Just doing it for fun is enough.” 

“I disagree.” Daichi said seriously. “You were good, Suga. You might not be a genius- “

“wow thanks.”

“-but you had your own style of battling. You were crafty, and kind to your Pokemon. Think about it, Suga; don’t you want to see more of this world?”

Suga looked at his friend in silence. Truth be told, he agreed with Daichi. He wanted to see more of the world, and while living on Route 24 was comfortable, sometimes he felt he was missing out.

“Maybe you’re right.” Suga said. “I’ll think about it.”

“Well, if you decide to start again, you know where to find me. We can start our journey together.” Daichi said reassuringly.

“Just like 11 year-old kids.” Suga replied.

Daichi chortled. “Yes, just like the good old days.”

His friend smiled sweetly at him. But Suga was thinking of a different path that would let him see the world. One that was less battling and more frugal living all over the region. He was thinking of Tendou’s work, but he didn’t want to dash Daichi’s hopes immediately, so he said nothing.

The two reminisced about their past, and their group of friends until the sky was orange, the clouds thin and wispy, cutting through the slowly fading light of the sun. After Daichi had left, Suga sat there on his own, sipping a glass of lemonade and thinking. He definitely didn’t need to go out and see the world, he thought. He could go through life at his own pace. But he was tempted to leave his house for a while, and go on an adventure. Once his glass was empty, he got up and slowly walked back home, his Espeon back in its pokeball now. 

When he got home, he went back to work, but he couldn’t focus. He picked up a book and made some tea as he read. He felt a tang of envy at the adventures of the characters in the book, and while he had calmed down, he felt that his heart was set on change. He put the book aside after a few chapters and slowly started taking inventory of his things and schedule. Suga couldn’t drop everything and leave; in fact, he thought it prudent to continue his artist work even while on the road.

“Well, I’m going to need to visit Celadon for that.” He announced to his sleeping Pokemon. 

Suga was excited, even if still unsure about this move. He resolved to at least ask his new acquaintance about this move, maybe Tendou will suggest for him to tag along or offer some pointers. Suga sighed, more hesitant than before now.

“I think it’s time to sleep.” He said out loud, as the Kricketots outside cried loudly through the night and his Pokemon slumbered in the faint light of the room. “It’s always a good idea to sleep it off, and decide in the morning.” He said again as he changed to his striped pajamas and went to the bathroom to get ready. As soon as he rested his head on his pillow, he started to fall asleep, his dreams a mixture of past moments and future prospects, vivid and pleasant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know that feeling of your heart being light and full, and your face smiling when you have a vivid and happy dream? This is what I was trying to go for in the end. Maybe should've added more details
> 
> Also the whole old times conversation.. I remembered how one of our friends used to tell us text her when we got home after we hung out, and this group of friends drifted apart. It made me a bit sad, since nothing happened; just life and prospects. 
> 
> I don't have to write notes but I like to go through my thought process and talk a bit, I think it's nice :') 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Have a nice weekend!


	6. Reach Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're gonna read this and think: Mort, do you know anything about how Pokemon research works? The answer is no, and neither does any Pokemon professor
> 
> Anyway, Suga asks for Tendou's advice and the two reach an agreement. Enjoy Tendou being a mess

South of Cerulean City, Tendou was hard at work near the Daycare. He hadn’t gone near Route 24 since Suga had visited him at the Pokemon Center. It was better to vary where he was working, he thought. Also, he was worried he’d get too attached to his new acquaintance, something Tendou couldn’t really afford.

There was something that bothered Tendou still. He was equally hopeful and terrified of Suga seeking him out, but the silver haired man hadn’t done so yet. He was a bit disappointed, but he was also actively avoiding him. He instinctively shook his head: it was all so complicated and the sooner he was out of Cerulean City the better. Just a couple of days now, he’d have everything, then he’d be off to Celadon and from there head to Lavender Town. 

Tendou took a deep breath and focused on the baby Pokemon in front of him. How odd, that this Munchlax had just hatched a few minutes ago and it was ready to take on the world. “I’m a grown man and still don’t feel ready.” Tendou thought to himself. He was being introspective today, and he hated that. Best wrap up soon and head back to my room, he said to himself.

A few commissions later and he packed up and left. Some people asked him if he was going to be back, hoping to ask for some photos and he agreed to be around same time tomorrow. Now, however, he needed a rest. He walked up to the Pokemon Center and as he entered the lobby he froze in his steps. Right there, on one of the tables, was Suga himself, reading a weekly magazine. Tendou looked around, hoping to find a way to sneak past him, but Suga spotted him and called him over. He had no choice but to approach.

“I’ve been waiting for you!” Suga grinned.

“You have?” Tendou asked bewildered.

“I want your advice on something.” Suga answered, a bit flustered.

“Oh? What is it?” Tendou took a seat next to Suga and dropped his things on the floor.

Suga was staring at the ceiling. “Your work, does it take you all over the region?”

Tendou cocked his head and answered: “More or less. For now, I pick where to go since I’m not affiliated with any lab.”

“And is it fun?” continued Suga.

“Fun?” Tendou hadn’t thought of his work was fun. Sure, he enjoyed it, but that didn’t mean it was fun.

“Yes, like, is it tedious? Do you curse it sometimes?”

Tendou didn’t need to think about this question. “It’s a lot of hard work. I don’t curse it, however.” He paused. “I think it is around what I expected before starting it: a lot of work, a lot of patience, but also rewarding. I guess that’s why I enjoy it; I know what to expect from it.” He gave a satisfied smile.

Suga studied him. “So you think it fits you?”

Tendou shrugged. “Maybe. I didn’t have to adjust too much for it to work. But I don’t think it’s for anyone! If you’re used to certain leisure it is definitely not for you.”

Suga scratched his head, as if forcing some questions out of his skull.

“What are all these questions for? None of it seems to go under advice, you know.”

Suga exhaled. He looked Tendou in the face and asked as confidently as he could: “Do you think I could do it? Your job?”

Tendou pulled back instinctively. “You want to be a researcher? It’s not that easy, you know! You have to have a certain background, some readings, a mentor even if possible!”   
Tendou didn’t mean to sound intense, but he wanted to stress how important a job it was.

Suga seemed to loosen up a bit. “How about you teach me, then?”

Tendou’s brain stopped working. “Sorry?”

Suga nonchalantly explained. “I’ll tag along with you and learn the ropes from you.”

“What?” Tendou was not processing what Suga was offering at all. Learn the ropes? From him? Travel with him? What?

“Did your brain freeze?” Suga said a bit loudly. “I want to work with you. I’ll be your protégée or assistant or whatever.”

Tendou looked at Suga as if he was witnessing some natural disaster. “I am not really legally allowed to do that.” He said.

Suga gave him a blank stare. “Are you kidding me? I can do the whole readings and whatnot later, but I’ll start with you teaching me.”

Tendou didn’t know what to say. Suga seemed very determined to go out on these expeditions with him, and he would love to have his company. But what if he bored him? What if he got hurt? What if something happened that drove a wedge between them? 

“You barely know him.” His mind replied. “You were avoiding him all week.” It seemed to think was necessary to add.

Tendou nodded. “Okay. Can you give me a day to think it over?”

Suga smiled and Tendou almost agreed on the spot. “Sure. Pass by when you do!”

Tendou smiled back, his lips shaking.

“Alright. Not saying I will say yes, but if I do, there are some things you need to know.” He started.

Suga’s expression turned serious and earnest. Tendou explained some rules and grounds for the work he did, the challenges he could face and the things he needed.   
“Of course, you can get these from Celadon. Some from any Pokemart. But I’m often short on money, which might be our main problem.”

“Our?” smirked Suga.

Tendou waved him off. “Whichever. Which is why I think you should continue drawing.”

“Will that be possible?”

“Well, Pokemon Centers are always there. And tents are available. They’re not ideal, but I don’t think you should throw your career away.”

“Hm. Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines too.”

“Okay then, tomorrow we’ll meet and talk more about it.” 

“I thought you still haven’t agreed to it?” Suga replied, playfully.

Tendou was taken aback but tried to brush him off. “I think you’ll follow me whether I say yes or not.”

Suga laughed. That was a bit of an exaggeration, but he would have travelled with him for part of the way and split up somewhere.

“Okay, Tendou, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you!” 

The two parted, and Tendou tried to fall asleep but his mind was preoccupied with Suga’s proposal. If he agreed, then in a few days he’ll have a travel partner to Celadon City, and then to Lavender Town, and maybe on and on until he settles down a bit. The idea was alien to him, and a bit exciting. Still, he felt he and Suga should reach a compromise. After a long time of thinking, he had an idea, and was ready to present it the next day.

The next morning Tendou headed to Route 24. He couldn’t stay long, since he had work near the Daycare, but he wanted to tell Suga of his plan before heading out for a long day of work.

He knocked on the door and from the inside he could hear some noises and a voice calling out: “Coming!”

A moment later, Suga appeared in the doorway, wearing a white pajama with a great ball pattern. He was carrying Torracat in his arms. 

“Good morning.” He said. “Come in, we were just having breakfast.”

Tendou stepped slowly inside and closed the door behind him. He followed Suga into his small kitchen, where the latter let go of Torracat and grabbed some French toast off the stove and put them in an empty plate for Tendou. 

Tendou sat in front of the plate, but was too shy to eat. On the other hand, he still hadn’t had breakfast yet-chocolate balls didn’t count, he thought.  
As Suga dug in, he did so himself. 

“Coffee?” Suga offered. 

Tendou nodded. “Yes, please.” He said between mouthfuls.

Suga reached for a mug and poured some coffee in it for his guest.

For a few moments, the two just ate, joined by Suga’s Pokemon. Oddish was still dozing in the corner, but Espeon and Torracat were eating side by side.

“So, did you make your decision?” Suga looked up.

Tendou swallowed quickly. “Yes. I have a proposal.”

“A proposal? Are you going to ask for my hand in marriage?” Suga teased.

Tendou swallowed again, but it wasn’t food this time. His ears went a shade of pink. 

“No, it’s a business proposal. Sort of.” 

Suga laughed. “Yes, yes I know. I was just joking.” He said. “What do you have in mind?”

Tendou took a breath and pushed his plate away. “You come with me, but you don’t always go to the field. Before you interrupt, I know, this is what you want, and you will join me sometimes. But research work isn’t all photography and observation; there are things to write and diagrams to draw sometimes.” He paused, gauging Suga’s interest, but the latter looked impassive, and so he went on. 

“I need you to stay behind and work on these for me. You’ll be learning the ropes too, and have some time to work on our commissions. Besides, you’ll still be able to travel around the region.”

Suga put his hand under his chin. It was a decent proposal, he had to concede, thought Tendou. Maybe not as adventurous, but a safe bet, until he really gets hooked on field work-if he ever does.

After what seemed to be all morning, Suga closed his eyes and nodded imperceptibly.

“All right!” he said loudly. “I’ll do it. I’ll start packing tonight!” 

Tendou wanted to laugh. “There’s no need to rush.” He said. “I still have a couple of days’ work here in Cerulean City, but do pass by so I can show you some work samples.”  
Suga nodded. “Will you be staying for lunch?”

Tendou shook his head. “Going to the Daycare for some photography work. It’s gonna be a long day today.”

“Good luck!” Suga said as Tendou started to get up. 

“Wait.” He added a moment later as he dashed to the refrigerator and produced a tall plastic bottle. “Here, some ice tea to help you through the day.” He grinned as he handed it to him.

Tendou smiled brightly. He was often told as a kid that his smile had the opposite effect on people, but he couldn’t help himself. 

“Thanks, Suga!” he said. “Are you sure you want to leave all of this behind?” he asked interestedly.

Suga smiled. “I’ll be back, don’t worry.” He replied confidently, and Tendou believed him.

The researcher left the house in high spirits and was gleeful for the rest of the day, humming a cheerful tune as he walked and worked. He shoved his complicated feelings and overthinking aside and focused on one thing: the company of someone as bright as Suga as he traveled to this city and that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am uploading this on the same day that Haikyuu just ended. I think I'm in denial, so I still haven't accepted its ending.
> 
> I will probably continue to write about the series-it's one of the very few mangas that I still follow and it has been an amazing journey, really. I will, at least, finish this fic
> 
> Oh! and there wasn't a chapter yesterday because I was out all day on a hike, walking 15 kilometers to sit on a hill above the clouds was worth it, but I was very tired.
> 
> I hope the chapters aren't too short and you enjoy them! Also, tell me what you think of the ending! DID U SEE TENDOU?? I do also ship him with Ushijima tbh, but Tensuga just. grabbed me. 
> 
> Have a nice day y'all!


	7. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou get ready to depart, each on his own, each in his own way.

A Honchkrow landed at the window of Tendou’s room. It cried out, announcing its arrival and Tendou rushed towards the Pokemon. He offered it a treat and let it rest by the bed as he took the letters attached to its leg. His old friends had replied to his letters, Ushijima in his usual direct manner, Shirabu in detail, mentioning Goshiki off handedly. The latter had written back in an excited manner, bragging about his Mightyeana and his new gym badges. He grumbled about Shirabu dropping by suddenly by his place, but Tendou knew him well enough to know he was all talk. Semi wrote back briefly, mentioning his where he will be heading to next and asking Tendou to pass by if he was around.

Tendou was happy to read all of these responses. He had tried his best to keep in touch with his friends despite everything, and he enjoyed reading what they were doing. Ushijima’s letters were straight to the point, he gave Tendou updates about his battling techniques, challengers he found interesting, and his Pokemon. 

“Druddigon seems to be proud of herself. She has finally managed to improve her reactions, and won her battle the past weekend.”

Tendou could imagine his slight smile, and his whispered encouraging words to his Pokemon. That made him smile to himself. He slowly read all the letters, and when done, he tucked them carefully inside a binder. Today, he only had some final planning to do, then packing and taking the rest of the day off. He left meeting up with Suga for tomorrow, when he would give him some instructions on how things worked.

He had enough money to keep him afloat for a while, and while he hadn’t discussed it with him, he assumed Suga would have his own funds. He wasn’t going to mention it to him, he already was used to doing things on his own and raising his own money, he didn’t have any need for help.

Suga had started packing this morning. He wasn’t sure what to leave behind, and he would prefer that he didn’t have to buy anything he already owned at the cabin. 

“If we’re going to be staying at the Pokemon Center, I won’t need any kitchen stuff.” He wondered aloud, as Espeon followed him around the house. “I’ll just take a few basic utensils.”

He had packed almost all of his clothes, his art supplies, a couple of books and all of the potions, repels, and trainer essentials. Now it was time for the tough part: The Pokemon. Suga had been caring for this Oddish for a while now, and was letting it take its time to recover and heal. It seemed to be weak and abandoned in the wild. He wondered if he should give it away to someone or drop it at the daycare. 

Suga watched Oddish chase Torracat’s tail, the latter smiling mischievously as it shook it harder and harder. Suga couldn’t leave the Pokemon behind; it wasn’t battle ready and it was already abandoned once. 

Just as conflicted he was to leave any Pokemon behind, he had the same dilemma about leaving his small berry trees. Suga sighed, wondering if he could ask someone to look after his cabin for him while he was gone. He went through a mental list of people he knew; many lived somewhere far away, and others were trainers-hence they couldn’t really settle down. He eventually did think of someone. He grinned in relief, for he was sure they would say yes, and he was even surer that they were the right person for the task.

Suga headed out hastily and headed down Route 24, passing through Cerulean City and walked all the way east to the Pokemon Center outside Rock Tunnel. Tadashi worked there, and since he had started his job, he had been living at the center. Suga had invited him to stay over more than once, but his friend had declined, saying he didn’t want to be a burden and that Suga’s place was too hectic for him. Well, now Suga wasn’t going to be around, so he should have no issue with staying there.  
Suga burst into the Center and spotted Yamaguchi behind the counter. He was looking at a clipboard, tapping his pen on the wooden part of it. Suga called out to him and he looked his way.

“Oh, Suga! Hey!” 

Suga waved as he approached the counter. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Yamaguchi asked, looking around but seeing no Pokemon accompanying Suga.

“I do need a favor.” Suga replied. “It has nothing to do with your job, however.”

“Oh.” Yamaguchi was surprised to hear that. He started to worry if Suga had some big responsibilities for him.

“I need you to look after my cabin for a while.” Suga finally said.

Yamaguchi hadn’t expected that. It was the sort of big responsibility he worried about.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Just a trip.” Suga answered coyly. 

“A trip? Where?” Yamaguchi was getting more and more interested. Did Suga get himself into some big trouble, and he was running away?

“It’s a research trip. With a friend. So I’ll be away for a while, doing some work all over the region. I’d like you to live there instead.”

Yamaguchi still felt that Suga was hiding something, but he didn’t press on. “You think it’s all right? It’s a bit of a huge responsibility.”

Suga nodded. “You’re more than up to the task. I cleared most of the cabin, so just live there and look after my plants and you know, make sure it doesn’t fall apart. I’m sure you can do that better than me.” He gave a short laugh.

Yamaguchi smiled assuredly. “Okay, I’ll do it.” He said. “Staying at The Center this long isn’t the most comfortable or the wisest financial option if I am being honest.”

“Great!” Suga replied. “I’ll be leaving in a day or two, but do pass by tonight or tomorrow so I can fill you in on some things you should do.” 

“Oh, that soon?” 

“Yes, it was a bit of a rash decision.” Suga scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“All right, then.” Yamaguchi said. “You don’t mind if Tsukki stays over a few times, right?” he asked a bit embarrassedly. 

Suga beamed. “Not at all! Any of our old friends are welcome to stay or keep their Pokemon there. If you don’t mind, of course.”

“No, no. Sounds good.” He replied. “I’ll see you later, Suga. I have to get back to work.”

Suga left the Center with his heart at rest. He was sad to leave everything behind, but he knew he would be back, and he was excited to see what the world had to offer. Today, he was going to take in his place of living fully and enjoy it as much as he could. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, arranging for departure and then after that he would probably be on his way to Celadon. He hadn’t been there in a long time. He wondered if any of his friends would be passing by. He wondered how much the place has changed. He took a deep breath of fresh air and walked slowly back home, watching the Goldeen swim swiftly and Nidoran chase each other in the tall grass. Up ahead, a large shadow flew over, blotting the sky. Suga could tell it wasn’t a Fearow, and felt a jolt of electricity as it flew up directly above him slowly shrinking into a tiny speck on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I like taking things slow in writing and I'm trying to incorporate more of the world in the upcoming chapters, I hope it'll be enjoyable and noticeable.   
> There is a certain theme to this chapter, which I think is a running one in the fic, but more amplified here. 
> 
> I had fun writing this one! I have some nice plans ahead. (but for now I'm going to make tea).
> 
> Take care, everyone!


	8. One Step at a Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou set out, and Suga unexpectedly meets a friend. Celadon awaits!

Packed and ready, Suga was waiting for Tendou outside the Pokemon Center. It was a long trip to Celadon, passing through Saffron City first and heading west from there. Soon enough, the red haired researcher came out of the Center, carrying a large rucksack with one arm, and Gengar was uncharacteristically by his side. The Pokemon yawned as it floated in the air.

“Good morning.” Suga greeted him. “I see Gengar is ready for the trip too.”

Tendou nodded. “Yeah, he’s excited to leave Cerulean City. It’s too bright and hot for him.”

Suga was wearing a white buttoned up shirt, with Leppa berries patterned all over. Tendou wondered if all his clothes were in this manner; a pattern of something Pokemon related. He had matched his shirt with some Khaki shorts and a pair of white walking shoes. Tendou felt conscious of his plain purple shirt and casual pants, but his line of work prioritized comfort above looks. Besides, his clothes often got dirty and torn, so it'd be a bit of a waste.

Suga laughed shortly, as Gengar rotated in his place impatiently. “Shall we go then?”

Tendou nodded again, still groggy. He hadn’t slept much last night, his brain busy making up unlikely scenarios and worrying about the venture he was about to take. He walked slowly next to Suga, who seemed to be too full of energy for this morning.

The two walked down the short Route 5, passing by the daycare. Only a handful of people were on the normally busy route, walking their Pokemon or hoping to catch a wild one that came out during the morning.

“So are we going to stop by Saffron for long? It’s the biggest city in Kanto!” Suga said excitedly.

Tendou didn’t want to disappoint him, but there was nothing for them in Saffron. 

“I’d rather not. Remember, we’re not going sightseeing.” He replied.

“Oh, yes you’re right.” Suga sounded a tiny bit disappointed, but he immediately brightened. “Onwards to Celadon, then!”

Tendou grinned despite himself. “We can stay a day if you want.”

“No, it’s fine. We’re going to pass by it on the way back anyway, right?”

“That’s true.”

They resumed their walk in silence, finally reaching the gates of the pathway leading to Saffron City. They were open, and the inside was cool, offering them momentary shelter from the sun. As they stepped in, the two exhaled and took a quick rest, standing in their place. From the left of him, Suga heard a familiar voice call out his name.  
Daichi was sitting behind the counter, reading a magazine. He rolled it up and got up when he saw Suga. The latter smiled, not expecting this pleasant surprise.

“I thought you said you’re quitting.” He asked.

“I still have a few days left before I leave. I’m getting prepared, training hard and all.” Daichi said enthusiastically, and Suga recognized the magazine as Elite Weekly, the one that covered gym leaders, up and coming trainers, battles, and everything a Pokemon trainer needed to know about.

“What about you? Decided to take my advice?” he asked, with the same vigor.

“Well, sort of.” Suga answered sheepishly. “I’m heading out, but not as a trainer. I’m going to become a researcher.”

Daichi frowned at the declaration. He just seemed to recognize someone standing next to Suga, and seemed reluctant to link them together. 

“Don’t you need to know some things to become a researcher?”

“You do. And I have a mentor right here.” Suga answered. “Daichi, this is Tendou Satori, a talented young researcher. Tendou, this is Sawamura Daichi, a dear and longtime friend.”  
Daichi studied Tendou. He extended his hand and shook Tendou’s firmly. 

“Nice to meet you.” He said in a friendly tone.

“Nice to meet you too.” Tendou replied, giving him one of his trademark smiles. 

Daichi’s eyebrow rose curiously. “Suga, can I have a word with you?”

Suga started. “Sure.” 

He hesitantly followed Daichi to the end of the counter and walked around it to his side. As he did, he looked back at Tendou, who simply shrugged and gave him a look that seemed to say “it’s fine, this is nothing new to me.” Yet Suga didn’t know what he meant by that.

“How do you know this guy?” Daichi asked urgently. 

Suga was taken aback at his tone. “We met near my house, he took a photo of me which I liked, so I invited him over to my place and we just, sort of became friends.”  
“He took a photo of you? Are you sure he’s not a stalker?” Daichi asked frantically. 

“A what?! No! He’s just a nice guy. A Pokemon researcher looking for his breakthrough.” Suga answered defensively. 

This didn’t add up to Daichi at all. Something was strange about that guy, and he had somehow convinced Suga that he was someone trustworthy. 

“Okay, where are you heading to now?” he questioned Suga.

“Celadon City, just passing through Saffron. I thought you knew that, guard.” Suga answered, annoyed.

“And what’s there in Celadon that is worth researching?” 

“We’re going to Lavender Tower after! That’s where the research is!” Suga whispered. 

“What? You know what that place is, right??”

Suga rolled his eyes. “What is the deal with you, Daichi?” he asked, trying to calm him down. “Is it because I didn’t join you on your trainer journey?”

“No, no.” Daichi backed away a bit. “I just, don’t know, doesn’t this seem a bit suspect to you? He has a Gengar out in broad daylight, too. Look at him.” He glanced behind them. So did Suga, and he saw Tendou whistling and patting Gengar on the head, patiently waiting for them to finish talking.

Suga met his friend’s eyes. “Are you seriously judging this man based on his looks?”

Daichi looked away. “Well. You have to admit he is a bit weird, though. Researching Pokemon in Lavender Tower, come on.”

“And what of it?” Suga simply countered, but Daichi had no reply, so he carried on. “I’ve spent time with him, I’ve heard his story and saw how treats Pokemon. You’re being an asshole.”

Daichi grumbled something but didn’t push it. He folded his arms. And stared at the floor. 

“Besides,” said Suga. “The photo was of me and an Oddish. He does photography work to fund his research.” 

Daichi sighed, still grumpy. “Fine, fine. I trust you know what you’re doing.”

Suga smirked. “I am.” He simply replied. 

Daichi walked up to where he was. “You may pass, sorry for the delay.”

Suga waited for Tendou to catch up, the latter waving to Daichi on his way out, who glared at him. The two walked side by side, Suga too smiley to Daichi’s liking.

Once outside, an awkward silence hung between them. Tendou hummed softly and Gengar glanced from one person to another. Finally, Suga broke the silence:

“Sorry about that, really. I don’t know what came into Daichi all of a sudden.” He sighed and dared a quick look at Tendou, who didn’t seem too bothered. A moment later, he replied. 

“It’s fine. I get it all the time, you know.” He said nonchalantly, but Suga thought it sad. 

“It’s just my face and I’ve spent too much time on my own, you develop your own habits.” He continued. “But my friends don’t mind it! Ushijima definitely was never bothered by it.” Tendou laughed cheerfully, and Suga smiled. He didn’t have anything to say, there was no need for his words.

The two friends soon reacher Saffron City. The place was more crowded and less scenic than Cerulean City, with Silph Co. dominating the skyline. The buildings were tall, the streets were full of all sorts of people: trainers, businessmen, police, citizens going about their day. And the noise was overwhelming; Suga was used to the quiet of Route 24, and Cerulean City, even in its most crowded, was never really noisy. Here, he could barely hear any bug chirps or bird cries. He didn’t like it much.

“You look disappointed.” Tendou said as they walked down the street. 

“It’s just so different.” Replied Suga. “So artificial, so busy.”

Tendou smirked. He never stayed in Saffron for those very reasons. The city didn’t appeal to him in any way. It held no mysteries to unravel, no adventure. To stay here was to condemn himself to a way of life he had no desire in pursuing. Even Gengar was less than impressed with it, but he was drawn to the Fighting Dojo and Tendou had to keep his eyes on him.

“Let’s walk through it quickly.” Suga suggested. Initially excited to visit, he now found that the city held little interest for him. Sightseeing could wait until he had seen the more glamorous and natural places in Kanto. He did, however, take his Emolga out for a stroll. The Pokemon kept pace with them, flying every now and then to inspect the top of a building and then flying back down, chattering about what he saw.

So they did. It took them most of the day to get around the city and reach the east side gate. The place was a vast and easy to get lost in. By nightfall, they had made it to the other side of the gate and ahead was Celadon City. The city lights inviting them from afar, a cold night breeze came from its direction, and a certain urban quiet had settled into the night. A Murkrow flew above them, landing on a tree nearby. The city was just at the end of Route 7, surrounded by towering green trees.

Gengar was wide awake by now, watching the Pokemon fly from tree to tree. He seemed happier than he was in Cerulean City and just as excited to reach Celadon. Emolga had fallen asleep by the time they'd left Saffron. Suga carried him in his arms, and Tendou looked at him and said: "Why don't you put him back in his pokeball."

Suga looked down at his Pokemon and smiled. "I think he's enjoying the breeze. I'll return him once we're inside the Pokemon Center."

Tendou didn't comment, but he seemed touched by Suga's thoughtfulness. There was, however, no chance of getting Gengar back into his pokeball tonight, it seemed. Maybe he'll let him roam a bit around Route 7 and the ghost type will be back by morning, ready for a long day's sleep.

Suga and Tendou took a step forward together, to make it through Route 7 and reach Celadon City, officially starting their journey together. A Hoothoot cried distantly, and Rattata crossed their path. On either side of them, the tall grass rustled and a shape jumped from tree to tree. As they neared the city, the lights loomed closer and they could hear the chatter and hum of the city grow nearer. Suga’s heart was pounding in his chest, numbing the pain in his legs. Tendou’s heart was in his throat, his mind on the person next to him and scenarios played in his head about what lay ahead. For now, the city was too inviting for them to stop and soon enough they were inside. Their journey together has started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To keep track, Suga has Emolga, Oddish, Torracat, and Espeon. Tendou has Gengar, Polteageist, and Honchkrow. The latter is a dark type, but he was found as a Murkrow by Ushijima and Tendou took care of it and raised it. (just some uh LORE)
> 
> Also not sure if Daichi fit in that scene, but I took it from a side of him looking out for his friends and being protective. 
> 
> okay that's all, have a nice day! If there are any questions or so feel free to ask!


	9. In Good Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou reach Celadon City. They have a good time-and things to do

Suga and Tendou had arrived a bit too late to Celadon City. The department store was shutting its doors soon, and the city was slowly going to sleep. Besides, both of them were tired and carrying heavy luggage.

“I guess shopping will have to wait till tomorrow.” Suga said.

Tendou simply nodded, starting to doze off.

“Shall we go to the Pokemon Center?” Suga offered.

“Yeah.” Tendou replied absentmindedly.

They walked slowly through the city streets, lit by tall black lamps. The city was sleepy, a mellow mood descended on Suga as he walked ahead of his friend, looking for the center. It didn’t take him long to locate it, and he walked inside, the white harsh lights making him squint briefly. The center was quiet, save for a small group of trainers huddled in the corner around a table.

Suga walked to the counter and asked for a room for him and Tendou. The short brown haired nurse behind the counter simply smiled and nodded. He turned around, looking for a key, finally handing Suga the one for Room 11. 

“Have a good night.” He said, watching Suga cradle Emolga in his arms. Gengar had stayed behind outside the center, enjoying the night breeze. Suga assumed he’d get into fights and some mischief, but Tendou seemed to allow him that freedom, so he guessed he shouldn’t worry.

Tendou was following Suga almost robotically. He was tired and silent, and once Suga unlocked the door to their room, he dropped his rucksack by the bed and fell diagonally on it, falling asleep immediately.

Suga, who was fishing out his pajamas and tucking away Emolga in his pokeball look behind him when he heard a thud. He saw that Tendou had effectively taken the whole bed for himself and he smiled weakly. 

Tendou looked so peaceful in his sleep, his strange smile endearingly stuck on his face and his lanky body spread all over the bed. Suga thought it’d be best to let him have the bed to himself. He took out his sleeping bad and spread it on the floor beside the bed. As Suga laid down to sleep, his mind was wide awake. He had taken the first step on this journey, with someone he had only known for a week too. He wasn’t feeling trapped in his life; things were quiet and comfortable as much as they could be. Yet, he had left them behind for this. He sighed. There’s no turning back now, he thought. He closed his eyes and let his tiredness take over, soon falling asleep.

Tendou woke up suddenly the next morning. He found himself spread on the bed like a starfish. It took him a moment or two to recall where he was and when he did, he sat up, looking around the room in a panic. He glimpsed Suga sleeping on the floor in his sleeping bag and immediately felt ashamed. He was so tired last night he didn’t process what he had done. Part of him was a bit relieved however; the other option would’ve been what? Sleeping with Suga in the same bed? He wasn’t sure that was a good idea.

He shook the image from his head and got up. Gengar was huddled asleep in the corner of the room. Tendou sent him back to his ball and headed out to the lobby. He ordered some breakfast for himself and Suga to be delivered and went back to the room, getting ready for the day.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Tendou answered it. He took the tray from the waiter and placed it on a table in the middle of the room. The smell of hot waffles and coffee filled the room, making Suga stir. The latter groggily opened his eyes and sat up. He saw Tendou sitting on the floor by the table, staring at him. 

“You’re up? Breakfast is here.” He said.

Suga nodded and tried to smile. Truth be told, he didn’t have the most comfortable sleep, but he wasn’t going to tell Tendou that.

“Sorry about the bed.” Tendou tactfully said. “I may have been too tired to be considerate.” His cheeks blushed slightly as he said that.

Suga shook his head. “It’s fine. Gotta get used to rough living somehow.” He replied lightly.

Tendou smiled. “You can have the bed tonight.”

“Aren’t we going to Lavender Town tonight?” Suga asked.

“We should, yes. Once we’re done with our shopping.” 

Suga nodded and got up. He headed into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later, fresh and more awake. 

“I hope these are still hot.” He poured himself a cup of coffee as he let out his Pokemon, save for Oddish, from there pokeballs. Tendou’s Polteageist and Honchkrow were already eating-which in the former’s case was splashing around in a pot of tea.

They chatted briefly about this and that during breakfast. Vaguely describing their plans and what they hoped to see on their journey. Once they were done, Suga took his clothes to the bathroom and changed into them. He emerged a short while later wearing a black striped orange shirt with a shiny Charizard tailored on its right breast pocket. The rest of his outfit were some orange tight pants and black trainers. 

Tendou once again felt awkward and taken by his friend’s look. He was still wearing the clothes he had walked from Cerulean City in. He glanced down at himself, took a fresh set of clothes and a towel and hit the showers. He left after a quick shower, his red hair losing its spiky form and making a sort of a mop on his head. He didn’t have any nice clothes, he realized. He was just wearing a light pink polo shirt and a pair of white khaki pants. It’s the best he could get, he thought to himself.

“Your hair’s a mess.” Suga said. 

Tendou’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Suga’s hair was always a mess. A pretty mess that suited him, sure, but a mess nonetheless.

“Here let me help.” He brought a comb out of nowhere and started working with Tendou’s hair.

“It’s denser than I thought.” He commented. “Maybe you should just cut it short.” He joked and laughed at the look on his friend’s face. 

“I ran out of hair spray.” Tendou said. “I’ll get some at the department store.” 

“Hold still.” Suga replied. 

His hands went this way and that. His tongue was poking out of his mouth as his eyes focused on Tendou’s hair. Tendou could do nothing but hold still, he was both frozen by the inability to act and his hatred for inaction.

“There!” Suga stepped back, admiring his handiwork. 

Tendou went into the bathroom to look in the mirror. His hair was swept to one side, neatly combed in the back save for one stray hair poking up from the middle of his head.

“Yeah I couldn’t tame that one.” Suga said, noticing him stare at it. “I have one too!” he grinned. 

Tendou felt he looked like a proper researcher now, and had mixed feelings about that fact. 

“Uh, thanks. Should we head out now?”

Suga nodded. “Yes, the sooner the better.” 

The two of them walked the short distance to Celadon Department Store. Outside was a fountain, with water Pokemon gathering around it. Some splashed in it, while others lounged next to it. The sun was strong and the fountain was a small respite from the heat.

Inside the store was busy. Suga didn’t know where to go first, and Tendou instinctively took the lead. 

“First things first, field items. Potions, repels, balls, etc. That’s the second floor.”

They took the stairs to the second floor, and the place was full of trainers and hikers preparing for their battles or journeys.

“Best get a couple of poke dolls too.” Tendou said. “They’ve saved my life.”

Suga had brought some basic healing items with him, but followed Tendou’s advice and got some escape ropes and dolls as well. They went up to the third floor, where Suga picked some drawing supplies-taking his time choosing and paying more than he should, as he often did. In the meantime, Tendou had went up to the fifth floor to grab some of his spray. Suga followed him shortly and picked up a couple of pillows and blankets.

“We won’t need them that much.” Tendou said.

“It’s good for the cold, and to pad the sleeping bags.” Replied Suga.

Tendou didn’t say anything. 

“Consider them my journey starting gift.” Suga said finally, making Tendou smile.

“Well, maybe I should get you a gift too.” 

“What? No, there’s no need for that.”

“I insist.” Tendou said. 

He walked to the end of the floor and picked a wide brimmed straw hat. He owned one before and knew how useful they could be.   
“Here. This will be helpful to you.”

Suga took the hat and inspected it. He placed it on his head, and it seemed to fit perfectly. With his clothes, Tendou thought he looked like a strange tourist. It was cute.  
“Thank you!” he beamed, making Tendou’s ears go pink.

After checking out the rest of the store quickly, the two of them left it laden with items-both necessary and unnecessary. They stood by the fountain in the scorching heat, Suga already wearing his new hat.

“About the trip to Lavender Town.” He said.

Tendou looked at him, hoping he was thinking what he was thinking. 

“What if we hire a ride?”

Tendou was relieved. He didn’t want to walk in this heat, and the sooner they got to their destination the better.

“I think we can get an Arcanine from somewhere to carry us there. Won’t take long.”

Suga nodded. “Let’s do it. We’ll pack and go looking.”

They didn’t need to look long. Just outside the Celadon Condominiums, there was a small kiosk advertising rides to nearby city. The fee wasn’t cheap, but the two friends didn’t think much about it; it was better than walking all the way to Lavender Town and wasting another day on the road.

The Arcanine was fast, and they could hardly speak as they hold on to its saddled back. It flew past the streets of Celadon, bursting through Route 7 and into Saffron. It had to slow down inside the city, lest it trampled passersby and bumped into other Pokemon its size. Yet, it still navigated the city with haste and accuracy, seeming to have the layout memorized. It sped through the sparsely vegetated Route 8, Tendou and Suga managing a quick glimpse of the fenced park in the middle and the wild Pokemon dwelling there. 

Shortly after, they were inside the purple tiled Lavender Town. Arcanine stopped and cried triumphantly. They descended from its back, Suga giving it an affectionate pat on the head as it nuzzled his shoulder, rushing back to Celadon City. Lavender Town had an air of mystery about it, it gave the impression of being both peaceful and strange at the same time. An impression emphasized by the sky high Lavender Tower on the right side of the small town, hugging the mountains. Tendou sighed in anticipation; he was excited to get going, and Suga felt his energy. He looked forward to what the town held for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason I keep describing Suga's wardrobe is because: I think he's fashionable and I'm very much into being fashionable myself (as much as i can)
> 
> Some clarifications:  
> -The Escape Rope is an item introduced in Generation I. It is used to escape a cave or dungeon.   
> -The Poké Doll is an item introduced in Generation I. It can be used to escape from a battle with a wild Pokémon.  
> -Repel: When used from the Bag in the overworld, it prevents wild Pokémon with a lower level than the first member of the party from appearing
> 
> If you have any questions feel free to ask! Have a nice day, it's 1:26 AM so I'm going to sleep now <3


	10. Lavender Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tendou and Suga are in Lavender Town. They have things to do, and a tower to investigate!

The sun was still out when Tendou and Suga arrived in Lavender Town. While the tower was dim and dark, searching for ghosts in broad daylight didn’t seem like a good idea to Tendou. He turned to Suga and suggested they grab some lunch, and then go over their plans. Suga agreed, and the two of them headed to a small café by the waterside to the south.

“We have to collect some information from the residents.” Tendou said, while he picked up a triangular sandwich.

Suga nodded. He was enjoying his pesto pasta too much to make proper conversation. He let Tendou do the talking, gesturing excitedly about this and that. The tower loomed behind them, and while it was a part of the town, it seemed that most of the people went about their day ignoring its existence.

“I’m going to start asking around today. Then maybe I can head inside the tower tonight.” Tendou continued.

Suga swallowed. “And where would I stay?”

“You can come along if you want. But you’re free to get a room at the center.”

Suga considered this for a moment, and quickly replied: “No, I’ll tag along. I’ll collect some material to work on them the next day.”

Tendou smiled. He didn’t attempt to disabuse Suga’s of his hope of getting enough material in a night. It was going to take much longer than that, he thought. But Suga will find out that soon enough.

The two finished their food hastily and walked around the town. They visited a sad looking house that was dubbed as a Pokemon care home. Inside, the old man informed them that he took in orphaned or abandoned Pokemon, some unable to battle or be in the wild and cares for them. 

When questioned about the tower, however, he said there wasn’t much of a mystery to it. “The spirits sometimes need to be consoled, and I do that when needed.” He replied.   
“What about scientifically? Are there any things to uncover?” Tendou asked.

The man appeared to be in thought for a minute. “I guess the Pokemon have been rather more quiet recently.” He said finally. “Not sure if that’s any help, but it is unusual.” 

Tendou noted that down in a small notebook, and the two bade the man goodbye-Suga reluctantly, as he was taken by a particularly tiny Joltik-and headed back to the town.

Tendou struggled to get any reliable information from the rest of the citizens. The kids enjoyed making up rumors and exaggerating sightings. “I saw a black Charizard once!” “A legendary with three heads appeared to me!” Tendou acted as if he wrote them down, to make the kids happy.

“So that’s all we have to go on?” Suga said as they sat on a bench outside the Pokemon Center.

Tendou was staring at the sky. Sometimes, that’s all he got. 

“We haven’t asked the people inside the tower, yet.” He answered.

“Will they have something worthwhile?”

He shrugged. “We might as well, since we’ll be going inside.”

He got up, taking his Gengar out of its ball and motioning for it to follow him. Suga walked by their side as they entered the tower. The first floor wasn’t by any means creepy or haunting; it looked like a clean reception area, with people standing behind counters, pamphlets placed neatly on a tiny library, some couches and a table in the middle. 

Tendou ignored all of this and headed towards the stairs. The first floor was where the tower revealed its purpose. There was a mist hanging all over the floor, a few inches above their feet. It was deathly quiet, and a woman, clad in white, was sweeping between the graves. 

“Good afternoon.” Tendou greeted her.

She slowly looked up and nodded. 

“I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.” 

She stopped her sweeping and straightened up. She nodded for Tendou to go on.

“Thank you.” He said. “Have you seen anything unusual here lately?”

The woman shook her head.

“Have you noticed any strange Pokemon hanging around?” 

The woman looked aside for a moment, thinking. Then she hesitantly nodded. 

“Maybe?” Tendou prompted excitedly.

She nodded in affirmation.

“Have the regular ghost type Pokemon been acting strangely? Not appearing too much?”

The woman nodded urgently.

Tendou’s eyes widened with excitement. “Thank you. A final question, which floor did you see the Pokemon on?”

The woman raised 3 fingers. Tendou nodded and bowed in response, as she bowed back.

He slowly walked away and down to the first floor, throwing himself on one of the leather couches. Suga followed him and sat down, still unsure of what had happened.

“What was that all about?” Suga asked.

“She’s a priest. They don’t talk in the tower, lest they disturb the spirits.” Tendou explained.

“But you can?”  
He nodded. “I don’t have the spiritual energy required to disturb them. But a priest supposedly does, so their words would do damage or you know, something.”  
Suga didn’t buy into this, but he didn’t say anything.

“Anyway,” Tendou said. “The point is that there is something lurking around here. And the ghost types are afraid of it. Isn’t that right, Gengar?” he glanced at his Pokemon sitting by his side. Gengar nodded vigorously. It looked restless, as if sensing the Pokemon.

“Are we going to have to battle it?” Suga asked, a bit worried.

“Hmm. I’d rather not to.” Tendou answered. “But we might be forced into a confrontation. So let’s make sure our Pokemon are healthy and ready for battle.”

Suga nodded and fell silent. 

“You’re headed up the third floor tonight?”

“Yes. Did you change your mind?” Tendou cocked an eyebrow. He was more confident now that they were on his turf, dealing with things he knew. His flustered reactions and weird feelings toward Suga seemed to have taken a bit of a backseat, and he was glad that it didn’t interfere with his work.

Suga shook his head. “No, but maybe I should catch a Pokemon. Feels like I need some more firepower.”

Tendou glanced at him. “What are you thinking?”

“Well, you have a ghost type. Two of those. Maybe a dark type?”

“I have Honchkrow.” Replied Tendou. “Besides, we’re not sure what the Pokemon in there is. It could be a dark type.”

“Oh, you’re right.” Suga said. “So fighting type? Bug type?”

Tendou thought for a minute then said: “You could grab a Machop or a Makuhita up on Route 10.” 

“That’s a good idea! Let’s go now!”

“Now?” Tendou was taken aback. “We have some preparations to do!”

“I really feel we’re gonna need it!” Suga replied. 

Tendou sighed. “Okay head up before me, I’ll take our bags to the Center and get us a room, what do you think?”

Suga nodded. “Thanks! Wish me luck!” he said as he ran out of the tower.

“Good luck.” Tendou said softly after him. “Come on, Gengar, back in the ball.” 

He carried both bags and walked slowly outside. He could spot Suga’s back in the distance, and he stood watching his back a moment too long. 

Once at the Center, it dawned on Tendou that he should ask for a room for two people, or else they’d have to share a bed. Or one of them has to sleep on the floor. He hoped the center had one.

Unfortunately, the Center didn’t have a two-person room. The best the man behind the counter could offer him was a room with a bed and a couch.   
“It’s not particularly comfortable, but it’ll do.” He said. 

Tendou stared blankly at him as he agreed. He went ahead and deposited their bags, inspected the couch carefully. He supposed a blanket could make it more bearable, but the whole situation felt awkward. He resolved to tell Suga that the couch was just there by chance, and not that he had asked for the next best option after a two-bed room. He grabbed a couple pokeballs and headed back to Lavender Town.

Suga was crouching in a small patch of grass up on Route 10. He was watching the scene around him, as if aiming to ambush a Pokemon and grab it by his own bare hands.  
“What are you doing?” Tendou asked. 

“Shhh. It’s the element of surprise.” Replied Suga with a whisper.

“Have you ever caught a Pokemon in your life?” Tendou asked mockingly.

Suga gave him a look. “Yes, and now I just have to wait.”

Tendou looked behind the ledge and saw two Machop flexing their muscles at each other, comparing which one was stronger. 

“Hey, look over there.” He pointed to Suga.

“What?” his grey haired friend asked as he turned his eyes and noticed the Machop. 

He slowly rose out of the grass and snuck towards them. One of them took notice and ran away, while the other stood its ground and challenged Suga. The latter brought out his Espeon, and after a short showdown, had secured the Machop in a ball.

Tendou noticed the other one peeking from behind a rock, hesitant to step out. He snuck towards it and knelt down and it lurched back in surprise. 

“Hey.” He greeted it, and it tried to punch him, but Gengar stood between them, absorbing the punch.

“You want to be with your friend?” Tendou asked, and Machop glanced towards the pokeball in Suga’s hand.   
“Come with me then.” Tendou offered it a pokeball, and the Machop willingly went inside.

“I got one too.” Tendou said to Suga. “They seemed to be friends, and wanted to stick together.”

“Oh no! I feel bad now.” Suga looked at the ball in his hand.

Tendou shook his head. “It’s fine, they’ll hang out together now and grow stronger with us. Come on, I have some things to prepare.” 

Suga pocketed the pokeball and nodded. The two walked side by side to the Pokemon Center and inside the room. 

To Tendou’s relief, Suga didn’t mention the couch. He stretched on it as Tendou laid down some papers on the desk, including a map of the tower. He explained to Suga what time they should be there, and what time they best leave. He instructed him not to get distracted or make any loud noises or movements. 

“It’s okay if you want to eat or drink, but we’ll do it as quietly as possible. I’ll set up a tent, too and keep Gengar out. He seems to sense something.”

Suga simply nodded. He didn’t know the first thing about this line of work, and it was beautiful to watch Tendou in his element: confident, assured, and passionate. I’m going to spend the night watching you, he thought to himself, and smiled dumbly.

Once the sky went dark and the stars were out, the two of them headed towards the tower. The moon was full, hanging at the top of the tower. Lavender Town, an already quiet and sleepy town, seemed doubly so at night. It was rather ominous, had it not been for the friendliness and general relaxed atmosphere of the people living there.  
Inside the tower, a few people were still in the waiting area. There were fewer employees now, and eventually all but one will stay for the night shift. They immediately climbed up to the third floor, Tendou bowing to the priests they met along the way. Suga followed his suite, albeit awkwardly.

Once on the third floor, Tendou set up the small tent in a corner. It was away from any grave, and Suga wondered if it was too far from the action. Gengar was walking between the graves, keeping his guard up and scouting the area. 

An hour passed, then another. There was nothing to note. It was all quiet, and not even Pokemon seemed to be showing up. The mist covered the floor and Suga was getting bored and sleepy. Tendou didn’t seem to be discouraged. He kept a constant lookout, occasionally taking photos or writing in his notebook.

Tendou was watching the room when it dawned on him that a heavy object was weighing his leg down. He looked down slowly, and instead of a Pokemon, he saw Suga’s head resting in his lap. He swallowed and almost jumped up, but controlled himself. He let his companion sleep the night, trying his best not to move or disturb him. 

As the soon rose and some light filtered into the floor, all Tendou could note down was the unusual quietness of the tower. At intervals, he noticed a shadow hovering at the far end of the room, but it soon disappeared, making no sound. Gengar didn’t have anything to add either; the other floors seemed the same as well.  
Suga stirred and quickly sat up. 

“Did I sleep through it all?” he said loudly. He saw Tendou’s smirk and continued. “I’m sorry! Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“No sudden movements, remember?” Tendou calmly replied. 

Suga looked down at his leg. “Can you move it?”

“No.” Tendou said calmly again.

Suga put his face in his hands. “I’m sorry!” he cried.

Tendou laughed. “It’s no problem.” He replied. “You didn’t miss anything. Now, tonight I think we best split up.”

Suga nodded, his face still hidden. 

“Let’s get breakfast, then I need to sleep.” Tendou said as he gingerly got up.

The sun was barely out and the moon could still be seen, as it vanished quickly. Tendou and Suga rubbed their eyes, standing outside the tower. Suga's first field research excursion didn't go as he had hoped, and he felt slightly embarrassed. Tendou yawned loudly next to him, and he looked at him stare bleary eyed into the distance.

"I'll get you breakfast," he said. " you go rest." 

Tendou nodded and plopped down on the bed inside their room. Suga ordered some pancakes and went back inside, where Tendou was laying down eyes closed, humming a tune. He didn't seem discouraged or daunted, and Suga wondered how determined he must be; how many roadblocks he'd hit and how he still managed to be upbeat about it all. He resolved that once Tendou was asleep, he'd go back in and do some scouting. His companion was a formidable researcher, he was beginning to find out, and he wasn't going to be left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This fic is going to be divided into a sort of arcs (not sure how many) but let's consider this the first out of two chapters of the Lavender Town arc. Afterwards, they'll be heading somewhere else.
> 
> Some notes: in the Pokemon universe, bug and fighting are super effective against dark, while dark beats ghost and psychic
> 
> I thought of continuing the arc in this chapter but my eyes uhh are woozy for some reason and it's late and I wanna read.  
> I hope y'all had a good weekend!


	11. Old Experiences, New Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou go back to the tower tonight, and they do find something troublesome lurking inside... 
> 
> Also featured, a short discussion about the nature of ghost type Pokemon

The next night Tendou and Suga headed back to the tower. Suga had let Tendou sleep on the bed, as he lounged on the couch, unable to fall asleep. He felt embarrassed of the night before, even though Tendou brushed it off. But he also wasn’t sure what he had expected coming here. His friend did say that he had missed nothing and the night went by incredibly calmly. 

He glanced over to Tendou sprawled on the bed, his face set in a smile and snoring lightly. He unconsciously smiled at him, exhaled, and closed his eyes. Tonight, he has to do better. He has to be on his guard and ready for anything; he had a strange feeling the night wasn’t going to pass by as quietly, and it seemed Tendou felt the same.

Suga followed Tendou up to the second floor of the tower. The latter stopped and surveyed the area. There were a few ghost types moving around, which he found curious. He gestured for Suga to follow him upstairs. The third floor was as empty as it was the night before. Tendou nodded. 

“Okay. One of us has to stay here, while the other camps up at the floor above.” He said, still looking around.

“I’ll stay here.” Suga replied. “I got familiar with it from last night.”

Tendou gave him a look. “From falling asleep?” it communicated to Suga. The latter huffed and looked back indignantly.

“Here.” Tendou called out as he dug inside his rucksack. He handed Suga a notebook, a flashlight, and a small digital camera.

“It’s not the best, kinda old too. But it’s better than nothing and might come in handy.” He said of the camera.

Suga nodded. “Will you be alright on the 4th floor on your own?”

Tendou grinned. “I’ve got my Pokemon, remember?”

Suga smiled back, a bit uncertainly. “Send one if you need any help, okay?”

“Same to you, partner.” Tendou replied, and Suga liked the sound of that last word.

They high-fived and split up, Tendou camping in the corner of the 4th floor while Suga returned to their old spot on the 3rd. If they found nothing tonight, they’ll have to climb even higher the next night. Tendou hoped that wouldn’t be necessary. 

“The top floors are especially creepy.” He said. “There was some bad business some years back with the ghost of a Marowak. And some of the graves up there are ancient, it’s just too much.”

Suga was curious about the ghost of Marowak. “Aren’t all of these Pokemon ghosts?” he asked.

“What Pokemon?”

“Ghost types, like your Gengar.”

Tendou almost looked offended. “No, they’re ghost types. There’s a difference.”

“There is?”

“Yes. They’re just born like this.”

“Oh.” Suga thought about it for a minute. “But what about Yamask? And Phantump? Some Pokedexes say they’re the ghosts of humans.”

“That’s disputed in scientific circles.” Tendou replied crossly.

“The Pokedex is disputed?” Suga was surprised, and also was having some fun pushing Tendou around.

“It’s filled by young trainers, what do you expect.” Tendou explained.

“I see. So they’re just… ghost types.”

Tendou nodded. “That’s how I see it. If you’re curious you can test it for yourself.”

Suga laughed. “Let’s abandon you in a forest and see if you turn into a Phantump.”

Tendou gave him a side-eye. “I’m not a child.”

Suga smirked mischievously, but said nothing more on the subject.

Suga waited an hour, then another. Nothing happened. A lone Gastly or Haunter would float by every now and then, disappearing quickly. He decided to stroll around the graves, see if he can spot something or even draw something out.

On the floor above, Tendou was eating a muffin. He had sent Gengar ahead of him, while Polteageist was stationed at the second floor, just in case. He hoped Suga wasn’t getting bored of this work. Research work, even field one, was always slow. The tower wasn’t any different, but Tendou was patient, and his hunch helped him get things done quicker. He had a gut feeling that the 4th floor was the place to be tonight, and so he was here, not Suga. He worried his friend might not be able to handle whatever was lurking in the tower.  
An hour later, Tendou was checking his notes. In the three hours he had been here, he had managed to spot a mere 5 ghost Pokemon pass by, three of which were Haunter. As he pondered the mystery of what was scaring them away, he heard a familiar cry. Looking up quickly, he saw Gengar floating towards him in fright. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” He asked as he got up, but looking behind his Pokemon, he could tell something ominous was going on. The rest of the floor was covered in a dark unpleasant shadow. 

Gengar seemed to be terrified, and Tendou returned him to his pokeball. He walked slowly and carefully into the dark cloud, his Honchkrow flying slowly next to him. As he got nearer to the center, he could hear a strange clicking noise, and a strange presence. Honchkrow flew ahead to scout the scene and Tendou, hearing sounds of battle, rushed forward.

What he saw wasn’t exactly what he had expected. There was a Pokemon causing the cloud, but it was small and goblin like. Tendou identified it as the troublesome Sableye.  
“No wonder Gengar ran away.” He muttered. 

He gave some orders to Honchkrow, who seemed to be consistently being pushed back by Sableye’s trickery and attacks. 

Soon enough, Honchkrow was too tired to keep fighting, and Tendou had to pull his Pokemon back. He felt bad for taking some photos during the fight, but Honchkrow had handled the best it could. He looked down at his Pokeballs: to send Gengar in would be cruel, which left him only with Machop. Untested, and a fighting type. Those attacks could never hit a ghost type like Sableye, but the Pokemon had some immunity, and he couldn’t let the dark/ghost type terrorize the tower like this any longer.

He called Machop out. The Pokemon yawned and looked uninterested. It made some half-hearted attempts, but mostly dodged Sableye’s attacks. Tendou knew it could take it on if it wanted, even if the battle would be one of attrition, but his new Pokemon still hasn’t been convinced much with him. Just then, he realized the problem: Machop didn’t want to fight on its own; it wanted its friend by its side.  
He took a careful step back and let Honchkrow out. Keeping an eye on the battle, he whispered: “Go to the third floor and find Suga. Tell him to come over here immediately.”

Honchkrow nodded and it flew as fast as it could from behind him. All Tendou had to do now was delay his opponent, but keeping Machop out meant tiring the Pokemon out. He called it back and reluctantly sent Gengar into the fray. 

The ghost Pokemon emerged from the ball and looked around, clearly frightened. It looked back at Tendou, its eyes pleading. Its trainer tried to give him a reassuring smile, but Gengar shook his head in response. Tendou nodded, and said as calmly as he could:

“I just need you to delay it until Suga arrives. You know the moves, status effects, dodging, hide in the shadows. Don’t attack, just keep it out of the way till support comes. Can you do that for me?”

Gengar seemed to swallow, but gave a brave nod in response. It took one mean look at Sableye and seemed to vanish into thin air. Sableye followed suit. Tendou couldn’t keep track of either Pokemon, but he was relieved to notice that Gengar wasn’t being damaged and was able to keep his distance. 

A few minutes later he heard Suga call out his name. He looked towards the source, and a cry came back. He yelled out, and in a few moments, Honchkrow was leading his friend towards him.

Suga’s face looked gaunt. He looked at the dark cloud moving around, spreading fast, and the shapes of Gengar and Sableye hovering in and out of sight.

“What the hell is going on?” 

Tendou was too worried about his Pokemon to answer properly.

“I’ll explain later.” He said. “I just need your help to battle this thing.”

“What is this thing?” Suga replied.

“A Pokemon that shouldn’t be here. Please, bring out your Machop, I don’t think Gengar can hold it any longer.”

Suga wanted to ask more questions. He was thrust into this crazy looking situation at a moment’s notice. Was Machop even going to be useful? But he trusted Tendou’s judgement, and called his Pokemon out.

Immediately, Tendou did the same. He withdrew Gengar at the same time Machop appeared, and the latter, encouraged by the presence of its friend, scored a knock-off on Sableye. Something seemed to drop from its hand, and Tendou followed it with his eyes. He kept a mental note to make a grab for it later.

The two Machop fought with vigor. Their off-type dark type moves didn’t do a lot of damage to the opposing Sableye individually, but their resilience to its attacks, and their strong team work chipped at it until it was visibly too tired to fight. The dark cloud was dissipating, and the resident ghost types were clustering around the kneeling Sableye.  
Suddenly, a dark green ball shot towards Sableye and engulfed it. The ball shook thrice, and then settled down. Tendou might not have wanted the Pokemon at first, but had he left it here, the ghost types might have been far too cruel to it. He walked forward and grabbed the curious gem that it had dropped earlier.

Behind him, the two Machop were celebrating together, and Suga was watching them, glancing at his back every now and then. He breathed in relief. 

“Let’s head back,” he said. “I’ll explain on the way to the Center, but I think we uncovered something here. Or at least, did a good deed.”

Suga grinned. “Come on, Chops.” Machop cried happily and walked behind him, Tendou’s Machop walking by its side. He petted Honchkrow’s head affectionately.

“You did great today.” He said, and the Pokemon cried proudly. “You’ll have a treat and a good rest when we’re back.” 

As it went back into his pokeball, Tendou walked a fair distance away from his companions, studying the gem in his hand. He could feel Suga’s eyes on him, as the latter turned back every now and then. He needed a moment to think alone, however. It was strange, sharing a usually lonely experience with someone else, and he was still not used to it. But had Suga not been here today, he would have failed terribly. Feeling a rush of gratitude, he smiled at him and hurried forward, showing him the gem and explaining what happened. He found that he strangely liked the attention, the interest, and the sharing of what is normally a solo experience somehow intimate. He liked that, Tendou thought to himself, and I want more of the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for continuing to read this work! This week has been rather hectic so I didn't have the energy to update it.
> 
> There are some type mentions (and a couple moves) related to Pokemon, if you have any questions feel free to ask for clarification! Also if you find any typos let me know so I can fix them lmao
> 
> Anyways, today I went looking for cicadas and that made me happy ! They're just neat! (and loud)
> 
> Have a nice weekend!


	12. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an interlude between the ending of the first "arc" and the start of the second. Please check the notes at the end for some clarifications.

At the Pokemon Center, Tendou sat cross-legged on the bed, while Suga sat on the floor next to him. Tendou thought it was odd, but didn’t question it. He turned the gem around in his hand, the dusk ball sitting next to him.

“So what’s the deal with it?” Suga asked.

“It amplifies certain moves. But, strange thing is, usually these things break after one use. This one doesn’t even have a crack.” 

Suga had nothing to reply to that. He was intimidated by the gem, so he didn’t offer to hold it. 

“What about Sableye?” 

Tendou shook his head. “He won’t cooperate just now. I’m letting him calm down inside the ball.” 

Suga felt Tendou was making things grimmer than they were. They might be, he thought, as he didn’t know the first thing about these matters. Yet, he couldn’t help himself carry on with the questions.

“So now what do we do?”

Tendou glanced towards him for a moment. “I think we should spend a couple of days studying what data we collected.” He replied. “I will go back to make sure everything is going smoothly, and if there are any evidence I could pick up as well.”

Suga nodded. “So it’s time for me to put my skills to the test?”

Tendou smiled. “Yes, for a few days, work will be boring.”

Suga laughed. “Oh I’m used to boring.”

And so, for the next three days Suga and Tendou spent the majority of their time inside. Sableye was hard to tame, and each time they let him out of his ball, he had to be battled and subdued. Thankfully, without the gem, he was far less powerful. 

Tendou continued to check in on the tower, but he could find nothing of much use. The ghost Pokemon that Gengar questioned couldn’t offer any help. They claimed that the dark/ghost type just appeared suddenly; no one was seen releasing it and it was the only one in the tower. He sighed, growing rather frustrated with his efforts.

On the third day, Tendou decided that it was time to move on. They could continue to study what they found at the next town, but they needed to figure out where that was. Suga suggested the Power Plant, but Tendou reminded him that this wasn’t a place they could easily camp in, as it was up and running again. The former went out into the plaza and grabbed a map of the region, and the two pored over it. After a lot of tracing and discussing, their fingers finally met at the same spot. They turned to each other and smiled.

“I’ll start packing tonight.” Suga said.

Their adventure continued, and now Tendou looked forward to companionship and the promise of shared experiences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this chapter is not even 500 words, which is unusual I know. The reason is that-if you haven't heard yet-a huge explosion went off on Tuesday, destroying much of the city I live in(Beirut, Lebanon). The blast has killed over 130 people, injured 4000, and left around 300,000 without homes. I'm safe, I live in the suburbs, however this has hit me emotionally tbh, because the city is a place that I have fond memories of, and it's a bit of haven for me (I go for walks there each week and hang out with friends). To see much of the places I've loved turn to rubble has me in distress.
> 
> The situation in the country in general, and the response of the government and members of my family (complete indifference) is making me livid. So I'm not in the proper mental state to write, sorry. I will be back to writing this when I feel I'm ready, but please understand that there's too much right now...
> 
> Hope you're staying safe <3 ( well I have two regular readers and I'm eternally grateful for you!!)


	13. Words, Smells, and The World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou decide on their next destination. But it's a long journey there! So they'll have to camp, and spend some time on the road.

Suga and Tendou had a lengthy journey ahead of them. Their destination this time was Pallet Town, a sleepy town surrounded by water from the east and the south. The area around the town was largely unstudied, the path in the east linked Kanto with Johto, but the area was seldom travelled, with people choosing the port of Vermillion and the train coming from Goldenrod. 

Tendou and Suga left Lavender Town and headed southwards, along the breezy sea route leading to Fuschia City. The path was built over the water, with fishermen lounging on the edge of the wooden docks, and a few trainers surfing in the waters. Around them, Magikarp flopped out of the water, and the fishermen often threw them back in the water. They could see large shadows swimming underneath the water, and Horsea and Seadra raced by every now and then.

Suga was watching the waters silently. Tendou was watching him. The two didn’t talk for a long time, simply enjoying the breeze and scenery. Tendou was fine with this, they didn’t have to speak or converse. Somehow, watching the world around them silently was a more meaningful experience for him. Finally, Suga rushed forward with a start. He hastily took out a pokeball while running and Tendou slowly followed him. Suga bent down near the edge of the dock and Tendou saw what he was doing: Suga was pressing his pokeball to a considerably large Magikarp. He covered his face with his hand, and Suga laughed in response.

“I’ve never caught one before, okay!” he defended himself.

“Do you have to?” 

“It’s a trainer’s rite of passage.” Suga countered. “Besides, this one looks huge. I bet it’s gonna make a good Gyarados.”

“You know it’s going to take a while for that to happen, right?” 

“We have time!” Suga grinned, holding his pokeball out.

Tendou smiled and rolled his eyes, he caught up with Suga and the two walked together again. A few minutes later, Suga turned to him and asked: “Where are we going to stay tonight? We won’t make it to Fuschia City before nightfall.”

Tendou nodded. He had considered that, and estimated that by evening, they’d be close to a small wooded area on their right. They could camp there, he told Suga.  
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Suga asked.

Tendou nodded again. “It’s frequented by trainers. They say Farfetch’d live there, so some camp out to catch it.” 

“So will it be crowded?”

Tendou shrugged. “Probably not. Trainers prefer to keep on the move, and Farfetch’d is unlikely to appear during the night, so it’ll be quiet.”

Suga smirked. “Just the two of us?”

Tendou’s heart jumped and he side-eyed his friend. “Maybe.”

“Hmmm…” Suga looked conniving, but he didn’t say anything, and Tendou didn’t push it. He made a show of looking around the area. Sunset was getting near, and the sky was starting to turn orange. Fishermen were starting to pack and leave, and the water Pokemon around them were changing. Horsea dived underwater, they could spot some Seaking swiftly swimming around. Things were even more quiet now, and some Zubat flew overhead, replacing the daytime Pidgey. 

“It’s getting late.” Suga commented. 

“It is. But we’re near our spot, look.” He pointed at a wall of trees some hundred meters ahead. “Just inside these trees is the place, get ready.”

Suga’s eyebrows arched. “You seem excited.”

Tendou grinned. “I love camping, and this is just a really lovely nook. You’ll see.”

And Suga did see, a few minutes later after they had forced their way through the trees, pine needles covering their clothes. The area was walled by trees, making a sort of a corner where the trees was to their backs and behind it the water. In front of them was a longitudinal area, stretching a few hundred meters ahead.

The grass was trampled, and nothing stirred around them. Tendou was setting up his tent while Suga was too busy looking up at the sky. Tendou glanced back at him and smiled. Once he was done, he simply sat next to him and looked upwards. It took a few seconds for Suga to notice him, and he sighed, the words he wanted to say seemingly unable to get out.

“I set up my tent.” Tendou told him a few moments later.

Suga simply nodded. 

“I guess I should say our tent.” Tendou added.

Suga turned towards him in alarm.

“I know you don’t have one.” Tendou smirked.

Suga shook his head. 

“No, I packed it with me.” He went back to his bag and rifled inside it. 

“It was here, just a second.” He added, too busy looking for his tent.

Tendou sat cross-legged on the ground, a hand on his cheek. 

Suga slowly turned around. “I swear I had it with me.”

Tendou smiled. “And where is it now?”

Suga shook his head. “I… don’t know.”

Tendou laughed. “To be fair, I only noticed once we were close to the spot that you’d forgotten your tent in Lavender.”

“We could’ve gone and got it back.” Suga quickly replied.

“Through the night?” Tendou countered, curiously.

Suga realized how foolish what he said was. He looked embarrassed. 

“I can use a sleeping bag outside, it’s fine.”

“Don’t be stupid. We can both fit inside the tent, it’s not a problem.” Tendou replied, but he was trying not to look away in shyness.

Suga sighed and smiled abashedly. “Sorry! I’ll get one in Fuschia City, really.” 

Tendou mumbled something about it being okay and no need, as he turned away, his cheeks flushed.

The two made a small fire and ate some of their canned food by it. They talked about their plans for the next day, and how long they’re going have to stay in Fuschia. Tendou suggested they might have to stay a night, and arrange for an early morning bought to take them to Pallet Town. 

“There aren’t any Pokemon Centers there, so we may have to rough it out.” Tendou said.

“No inns or guesthouses?” 

“I don’t really know…Pallet Town isn’t particularly a popular spot. We’ll see when we get there.” 

Suga nodded. He went silent and watched the trees around him. He has now gone the farthest from home he ever has, and yet, there is still so much to see. To think, that Tendou lived like this all the time, almost used to nature and the open wilderness.

“What are you thinking about?” Tendou ventured a question.

Suga took a deep breath. “I haven’t been this far away from home before.” He started. “And yet, I have seen so little of the world. But I’m so taken by what little I have witnessed, it’s strange.”

Tendou smiled. “Don’t rush seeing the world.” He replied. “There is so much to see, yes, but also in the little you’ve seen, there is too much to consider. Both good and bad.”  
Suga looked at him. “How much have you seen?”

Tendou shrugged. “Not a lot. I haven’t even been to all of Kanto. I’ve never been to Pallet, for example.”

“But you’ve seen more than me, right?”

“It’s my job.” Tendou replied. He hesitated a bit, then continued. “There’s a lot of bad things to go with the good ones, you know. It’s not all breezy sunsets and starry sky, the world is harsh and unpredictable.”

Suga’s smile faded a bit. He put his head on his knees and nodded. “I know.” He said. “I’ve seen some of it, even if I hadn’t gone as much as I wish I had.” 

Tendou was curious about his turn of heart, and he worried he had upset his companion. But Suga stretched and stood up, a smile back on his face.

“Still, I’m glad I’m here to see all of this. I’m glad you showed up at my doorstep.” He gave Tendou a smile, who shakily returned it. 

“I’m going to head to bed, you shouldn’t stay long either.” Suga said and walked past him, smelling of pine needles and campfire. Tendou guessed he also smelled similarly, but on Suga it was different, more comforting somehow.

He sat by the fire alone, trying not to go to the tent. He realized that inside, he’d be in close proximity to Suga. But sleepiness was overtaking him, and he was almost falling in his place. He gave up, putting out the fire and packing his things. 

Tendou headed inside the tent and saw Suga sleeping on his back peacefully, his arms stretched out, taking much more space than he should. He took the left side of the tent and laid there, looking up at the roof. His mind was running through the day and the words he’d said and heard, but thankfully, tiredness soon overtook him. Before giving in to sleep he could feel a warm body pressing close to his arm and shoulder, a familiar soothing smell and a warm breath. His brain was too tired to process what was happening, but his body welcomed it and relaxed, taking him into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's been over two months I know, but I'm updating this fic again! Not sure how regularly I'll be able to do so since I'm busy, but I needed something to calm me down tonight so here is a new chapter. I hope you like and enjoy it, stay safe everyone! <3
> 
> Also, some Pokemon notes: Magikarp is a very useless Pokemon, but evolves into Gyarados which is Strong  
> Farfetch'd is a rare Pokemon (in canon, it is endangered)  
> I'm following the Pokemon Kanto map, but I'll be ignoring the insane fences on Route 13, since no one in their right mind builds something like that (look at them, really: https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/e/e8/Kanto_Route_13_HGSS.png/1200px-Kanto_Route_13_HGSS.png)


	14. Fuschia City!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga and Tendou make it to Fuschia City, but something convinces them to change their plans.

Tendou woke up before Suga. His body was used to being up early, but this morning it couldn’t move; Suga’s head was resting on his shoulder and he didn’t want to wake up his friend up. It was lucky for Suga that Tendou barely moves while he’s asleep, but he had the sense that Suga matched his small movements, orbiting around him. He started to wriggle free, and slowly replaced his shoulder with his pillow. Suga didn’t stir, and he sighed in relief.

Tendou was outside the tent now, standing in the chilly morning air. He stretched his limbs and shook his head. Last night seemed far away, especially with Suga still asleep. He went ahead and lit a fire so he could brew some coffee, have a quick breakfast, and review the plan they had set up for today.

They still had less than half the distance to reach Fuschia City, where they’ll have to stay the night and afterwards, hire a boat or a ferry Pokemon to take them to Pallet Town. It was a long journey, and Tendou worried he was rushing his new companion through it.

A couple of hours later, Suga walked out of the tent. He yawned widely, his hair extra ruffled and his shirt rumpled.

“Good morning.” He said mid yawn.

“Morning.” Replied Tendou. “There’s some hot water if you want something to drink.”

Suga moved towards the embers of the fire. “How long have you been up?”

“Two hours? Something like that. The weather is warmer now, we should move out before noon.”

Suga nodded as he made himself a cup of tea. Tendou worried if he was hurrying him, but this was his job. He didn’t really have time to make frequent stops on the way to the site.

“Are we going to make it to Fuschia City today?” Suga asked as he munched on a biscuit.

“Well, if we make good time.” Tendou answered. 

Suga didn’t say anything, he continued to have his breakfast and stare in the distance.

“Did you want to stop somewhere?” Tendou asked tentatively.

Suga shook his head slightly. “No, nothing specific.” He replied, but Tendou waited for him to say more. “I was thinking,” Suga added, “maybe I should start building a team.”

Tendou was taken aback. “A team? You mean like a trainer?”

Suga nodded. “Maybe I should give it another try.”

“Another?” Tendou was very curious, his body turned towards Suga and his face earnestly interested. Suga, however, didn’t elaborate. He took a deep breath and got up.  
“I’m going to start packing.” He clapped his hands excitedly. “We’ve got a trip ahead of us!” he smiled widely.

Tendou’s questions went out of head, and he got that it wasn’t the time, even if the switch from deep in thought Suga to regular Mr.Sunshine was a bit unnerving.  
“Let me help, I’ll bring the tent down.” Was all he said instead.

Packed and ready, the two were on their way again. The docks slowly gave way to grass and dirt, and the sea was slowly fading behind them. The sounds of splashing Pokemon and fishermen chatting was soon replaced by the cries of Scyther and trainer battles. Bird Pokemon flew overhead, and the patches of grass just outside Fuschia City rustled with shy Venonat and Gloom. Soon, Tendou and Suga stood in front of the gates of Fuschia City, home to The Safari Zone and a tourist attraction. 

They stepped inside without much ceremony. They had made good time, and the sun was still out. They walked around the city, watching people and their Pokemon strolling around the streets, tourists taking photos, and visitors going in and out of The Safari Zone.

“The Safari Zone… have you been there before, Tendou?” Suga asked as he stood to the side of the road and watched some of the Pokemon hanging outside the Zone’s gate.

“Once, yeah. I got hopelessly lost, though.” Tendou laughed. “Didn’t dare go in there again since.”

Suga was staring at the gate. He didn’t say anything, but Tendou understood.

“We can stop by, you know.” He offered.

“Really?” Suga was surprised, but couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Yeah, we’ve got time.” Tendou said. “Come on, let’s have a stroll, maybe this time I won’t get lost.”

Suga grinned and walked ahead of his friend. They queued inside, bought their tickets and some safari balls and walked inside. People were scattered about the huge area, and there were some rest stops here and there. 

“Those are new.” Tendou said.

“What? The cabins?”

“Yeah… weren’t there when I got lost.” Tendou said. He shook his head. “Let’s go ahead. Or not, I mean. We can take our time exploring.”

The two walked around the first area. There wasn’t much to do or see, and a narrow bushy passage led to the second place. It was more crowded than the entrance, and trainers seemed to be excitedly searching for something.

“What’s going on?” Suga asked.

Tendou looked sideways at him. 

“There’s a palpable energy here.” He added.

Tendou walked ahead and greeted a young trainer.

“Heyy, kid. What’s all the fuss about?” he tried in his friendliest manner, but the boy looked terrified, and he moved away as fast as he could. Tendou’s face dropped, and he looked back at Suga meaningfully.

“I’m sorry.” Suga replied, trying to smother his laughter. “I’ll take care of it.” And he moved ahead to a gaggle of kids crowded around some safari balls. He greeted them casually, and what seemed to be their leader stepped in front of them. Tendou watched his speak to them carefully and nicely, and wondered what kind of magic Suga had that made everyone immediately trust and respond to him. 

A few minutes later, Suga turned around and gave him a strange look. A couple of words later, and the transfer of three of his safari balls to the kids, and he walked back to Tendou.

“What’s the news?” Tendou asked.

“There’s a Pokemon.” Suga replied. “A Chansey. Someone said they spotted it two days ago, but couldn’t catch it.” 

“That’s enough to make the place this crowded?”

Suga shook his head. “The Safari Zone staff confirmed it too.” He replied. “They said it hasn’t been seen in quite some time, so everyone’s scrambling for a chance.”

Tendou’s eyes went narrow. He was mulling it over. A moment later he burst out laughing.

“Okay. I’m in.” he announced.

“In? In what?” Suga replied, confused.

“Let’s give it a shot too! Pallet Town can wait; this is a big opportunity!”

“Are you sure about this?” 

Tendou nodded. “Yes. Let’s take our time on this journey, we’re staying in Fuschia City for a while.”

Suga grinned, and then laughed happily. He was hoping for this, but he didn’t expect it. And you never know, maybe he’ll be able to add more than just a Chansey to his growing team. He’ll spend more time in a place he’s never been to, with good company, and train his Pokemon a bit. He was ready to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy, short chapter tonight (today? it's almost 2 am here and i have work tmrw rip)
> 
> I did sort of change a lot of the route to Fuschia City, but that's fine really. The rarity of Chansey in the Safari Zone is a real video game thing, I just thought I'd include it. 
> 
> (I should maybe cool it on the typing speed my fingers are getting a bit sore)
> 
> Have a good weekend! Take care y'all!


End file.
